This form of H. plantaginea was first described by Dr. Fumio Maekawa around 1940. It has narrower flower petals and corolla than the species or H. plantaginea var. japonica.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "Schmid 1991, p. 85) reduced this to cultivar status, i.e., H. plantaginea 'Stenantha'; though I do not agree with his assignment."