Herbs perennial, efarinose, lacking basal bud scales at anthesis. Leaves forming a rosette; petiole indistinct to 1/2 as long as leaf blade, rarely nearly as long as leaf blade; leaf blade elliptic to elliptic-oblanceolate or lanceolate, 4--15(--20) X 2--3 cm, tapering at base, minutely brown punctate, margin denticulate, rarely nearly entire, apex obtuse to acute. Scapes 20--60 cm; umbels 1--3, superimposed, 5--9-flowered; bracts linear-lanceolate, 6--10(--15) mm. Pedicel 1--4 cm, puberulous. Flowers heterostylous. Calyx tubular, 1--1.3 cm, parted 1/3--1/2; lobes triangular to lanceolate, ciliolate. Corolla intense crimson or yellow; lobes strongly reflexed, linear, 7--10 X 1--2 mm. Pin flowers: corolla tube ca. as long as calyx; stamens ca. 2.5 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. 6 mm. Thrum flowers: corolla tube ca. 1.5 X as long as calyx; stamens at level of calyx; style ca. 2 mm. Capsule 3--5 mm longer than calyx. 2n = 22@.

Woodlands, streamsides, damp meadows, Picea-Rhododendron forests; 3300--4700 m. S Gansu, E Qinghai, Sichuan, E Xizang.