Shrub to 3 m; twigs densely stellate-scurfy or tomentose; lvs opposite or rarely ternate, the petiole 0.5-3.5 cm, the blade ovate to elliptic, 8-23 נ3.5-13 cm, coarsely toothed, stellate-scurfy at first, later glabrate above; cymes compact, many-fld, usually shorter than the petiole; cal obconic, 1.6-1.8 mm, very shortly 4-toothed; cor bluish to reddish (white), the tube 2.6-3 mm, the lobes 1.3-1.5 mm, blunt; frs rose-pink to purple or blue, 3-6 mm, densely clustered; 2n=36. Moist, often wooded places; sw. Md. to N.C. and Ark., s. to Mex. and the W.I. June-Dec.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.
