Stem (14--)30--65 cm tall, branched. Leaf blade 4--12 cm wide, base cordate; primary lobes separate for at least 90% of blade radius; central lobe rhombic, 1- or 3-cleft nearly to midvein, distally 1- or 2-lobulate or undivided, apex acute; ultimate lobules linear-lanceolate, linear, or narrowly linear; proximal leaves withered or not. Raceme 5--20 cm, 3--10-flowered, appressed puberulent, rarely mixed with yellow, glandular hairs; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones linear. Pedicels 1.5--4(--7) cm; bracteoles borne near middle of pedicel or distally, linear or subulate, 3.5--7 mm. Sepals purple-blue or blue, abaxially puberulent; spur subulate or cylindric-subulate, 1.5--2 (--2.2) cm, straight or slightly recurved, base 2.5--3.5 mm in diam.; other sepals 1--1.9 cm. Petals undivided, glabrous. Staminode limb suborbicular or broadly obovate, entire, emarginate, or 2-lobulate, rarely 2-lobed, yellow barbate. Filaments glabrous or rarely pilose. Carpels 3; ovaries densely puberulent or glabrous. Fl. May--Nov.

Sparse forests, scrub, grassy slopes, grassy places in valleys, meadows, dry slopes, weedy places, fields; 100--3500 m. N Anhui, Beijing, C and E Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, S and W Henan, NW Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, S Ningxia, E Qinghai, Shaanxi, E Shandong, Shanxi, NW Sichuan, C and NW Yunnan [Mongolia, Russia (Siberia)].