Rhizomes ca. 3 mm in diam. Stems numerous, densely spreading or retrorse white pubescent, fertile 2-3 cm, sterile 1.2-2 cm. Leaves ± palmately 5-pinnatipartite to slightly more than 1/2 its length; petiole slightly shorter to longer than blade, silky villous; leaf blade broadly triangular-ovate, 3-5 × 3.5-6 mm, adaxially silky-pubescent, abaxially densely white sericeous-tomentulous, base cordate to subtruncate; lobes narrowly elliptic, apex rounded to obtuse, margin involute. Verticillasters in terminal capitula 0.9-1.4 cm; bracts purple-red, elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 6-10 × 2.5-4 mm, margin pubescent, ciliate, entire or with 1 or 2 lanceolate to ovate or triangular serrations, apex acute to spinescent-acuminate with spines 0.5-1 mm. Calyx campanulate-tubular, ca. 8 mm, pubescent, ciliate, 2-lipped to 1/2 its length; upper lip teeth divisions to 2/3 of lip, teeth triangular-ovate, apex acute-acuminate; middle tooth of upper lip to 1.5 × as wide as lateral teeth; lower lip teeth divisions to 3/4 of lip, teeth lanceolate to broadly-lanceolate. Corolla ca. 1.1 cm, densely fine pubescent, apically villous near margin, lower lip glabrous. Fl. Jul.

Related in the original description to Dracocephalum palmatum Stephan (Siberia) but apparently closer to the following two species.

* Slopes. Xinjiang (Toli Xian)