Shrublets, deciduous, 5--20(--60) cm tall. Stems often basally branched; bark of older branches fissured and exfoliating; nodes without a ringlike scar; branchlets red-brown, slender, densely minutely hispid. Bud scales linear to almost needlelike, rigid. Leaf blade obovate-lanceolate, oblanceolate, or sometimes linear, 8--22(--26) X (0.3--)3--6 mm, glabrous or abaxial surface slightly minutely hispid along midrib, base cuneate, margin minutely hispid, apex acute to acuminate and with a small awn. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, subcapitate, with spikes usually 10-flowered or more; bracts lanceolate, 7--8.5 X ca. 2 mm; bractlets lanceolate, 4--5 X ca. 1 mm. Calyx brownish red, 7--8 X ca. 1.5 mm; lobes ca. 1 mm, apically puberulent. Corolla blue, 1.1--1.3 cm; lobes lanceolate-obovate, ca. 5 X 2--2.5 mm, apex acute to obtuse. Anthers blue, 1.4--1.8 mm. Ovary ovoid. Style branches extending beyond anthers. Capsules ca. 4.5 mm. Seeds dark brown. Fl. Jun-Oct, fr. Aug-Nov.

Sunny slopes; 3300--4500 m. S Xizang [Nepal].