Rhizomes to 1 cm in diam. Stems purplish, numerous, ascending, 15-42 cm, unbranched, sparsely retrorse pubescent. Basal leaves numerous, mostly persistent after anthesis; petiole 3-15 cm, white patent-villous; leaf blade triangular-ovate, 1.4-5.5 × 1.2-4.5 cm; mid cauline leaves petiole 2-6 cm, blade 2.2-3.5 cm, sparsely villous, base cordate, margin crenate-serrate, apex obtuse. Verticillasters in terminal capitula or rarely spikes to 9 cm; floral leaves reduced, subsessile or with sheathlike petiole 4-8 mm; bracts lanceolate to obovate, 0.7-1.6 cm, margin sparsely pubescent, ciliate, 2-6-spinescent-serrulate with spines to 2 mm. Calyx purplish, 2-2.4 cm, pubescent, ciliate, 2-lipped to 2/5 its length; upper lip with teeth divisions to lip base, middle tooth obovate-elliptic, ca. 2 × as wide as lateral teeth, apex short acute-acuminate; lateral teeth lanceolate, apex acute-acuminate; lower lip teeth narrowly lanceolate. Corolla purple-blue, 3.8-4 cm, pubescent, middle lobe of lower lip smaller. Fl. Jul-Sep.

Used in Hebei and Shanxi as a substitute for tea. Also used as an ornamental herb for its large, purple-blue flowers.

* Alpine meadows, grassy slopes, sunny areas in sparse forests; 700-3100 m. Hebei, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shanxi