[1] It has small and crowded leaves that are between oval and rotund in shape.

Leaves contain three major depressed veins from the base; the undersides of these contain long brown hairs.

The plant's flowers are rich mauve and numerous.

Bracts are leaf-like, have reddish-brown hairs, are solitary or in groups of three, and sessile.

The type specimen was collected by GHK Thwaites in 1853 at an altitude of 2,134 m.[2] The sites where the plant was recorded for Flora of Ceylon in February and March 1977 were also at high altitudes, between 1,980 m on the side-cone of Adam's Peak[3][4] and near Galagama Falls[5] close to the border between Sri Lanka's Central Province and Sabaragamuwa Province, and 2,225 m[6] and 2,286 m,[7] further north on the border between Madhyama Province and Uva Province.