Herbs perennial, forming dense mats consisting of many rosettes, base with remains of withered foliage. Leaves forming a rosette; petiole indistinct to nearly as long as leaf blade; leaf blade oblanceolate to obovate, 5--10 X 2--5 mm, tapering to base, abaxially pubescent along midvein, adaxially short white pubescent or subglabrous, margin coarsely pinnatifid-dentate with obtuse teeth, apex obtuse to rounded. Scapes 1--5 cm, sparsely glandular; inflorescence capitate, 1--4-flowered; bracts usually 2 or 3, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 1.5--3 mm. Flowers sessile, ± nodding, heterostylous. Calyx often tinged with dark purple, cup-shaped, 3--3.5 mm, finely glandular, parted to middle or below; lobes oblong to oblong-lanceolate, margin occasionally dentate, apex acute to obtuse. Corolla violet-purple; tube nearly as long as calyx; limb 4--6 mm; lobes nearly quadrate to obovate, 2-lobed. Pin flowers: stamens ca. 1.5 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. 3 mm. Thrum flowers: stamens ca. 2.5 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. 0.5 mm. Capsule subglobose, slightly shorter than calyx. Fl. Jul.

In damp rock crevices, on moss-covered rocks; 4000--5000 m. S Xizang [Bhutan, NE India, Nepal, Sikkim].