Caudex carrot-shaped, ca. 6 cm, ca. 1 cm in diam. Stem 50--100 cm, simple or branched, densely spreading pubescent, with 15 leaves equally arranged along stem. Proximal cauline leaves withered at anthesis; middle ones long petiolate; petiole 4.5--6.5 cm, spreading pubescent, base narrowly sheathed; leaf blade pentagonal, 6.5--7.5 × 8--12 cm, abaxially sparsely pubescent at veins, adaxially appressed pubescent, 3-parted; central lobe rhombic, 3-fid beyond middle; lateral lobes obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-parted. Inflorescence ca. 25 cm, many flowered; rachis and pedicels densely spreading yellowish pubescent or appressed pubescent; proximal and middle bracts leaflike; distal ones oblong to linear, small, ca. 1.2 cm. Pedicels 1.4--5.5 cm, or to 10--12 cm, with 2 bracteoles proximally or distally; bracteoles linear or subulate, rarely ovate, 3--6.5(--10) mm. Sepals blue-purple; lower sepals ca. 1.5 cm; lateral sepals abaxially sparsely pubescent; upper sepal galeate or navicular-galeate, lower margin 1.5--1.8 cm, slightly oblique upward, erect or slightly concave, abaxially glabrous. Petals glabrous; limb ca. 9 mm; lip ca. 4.5 mm, 2-lobed at apex; spur circinate, ca. 3.5 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments 2-denticulate or entire. Carpels 5, glabrous or ovary pubescent. Fl. Aug--Sep.

* Rhododendron forests and scrub, scrub margins; 3800--4100 m. NW Yunnan.