Rhizomes 3.5-9 mm in diam. Stems erect or ascending, unbranched, ca. 25 cm, sparsely minute hairy and villous, rarely glabrescent basally, densely retrorse hairy and villous at apex. Basal leaves numerous; petioles 3-12 mm, sparsely retrorse pubescent; blade circular-ovate to reni-form, 1.7-3.7 × 1.5-4 cm; blade of mid stem leaves ovate to reniform, sparsely pubescent along veins, base cor-date, margin undulate-crenate. Verticillasters few, crowded in capitula; bracts spatulate-obovate, ca. 6-7.5 mm, margin 1- or 2-serrate, sparsely pubescent, ciliate, teeth spine-scent-triangular to spinescent-lanceolate, with spines 1.5-2.5 mm. Calyx purplish, 1.2-1.5 cm, pubescent to silky-villous, margin white ciliate, 2-lipped to 1/4 its length; upper lip teeth subequal, ovate-triangular, ca. 3 mm, apex acute; lower lip teeth narrower than those of upper lip, ca. 3 mm. Corolla blue-purple, 2.5-2.7 cm, villous. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Grassy slopes; 2400-2500 m. Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan].