Herbs perennial. Stems 15-25 cm, much branched, woody, minutely hispid; nodes ± swollen, basal nodes lanate, surrounded by persistent sheaths, upper nodes tomentose. Leaves cuneate-rhombic, 1-1.6 × 0.7-1.4 cm, leathery, adaxially glabrous or sparsely minutely hispid, abaxially pubescent or glabrous, base cuneate, apex 3-lobed; lobes 3-5-lobulate, spinescent-aristate. Verticillasters 2-flowered; bracteoles spinescent, 4-12 mm, glabrous. Calyx tubular-campanulate, ca. 1.8 × 0.8 cm, teeth to as long as tube or rarely longer, narrowly oblong-lanceolate, leathery, netted, obtuse, apex short spinescent. Corolla reddish, ca. 3 cm, pubescent; upper lip straight, ca. 2 × 0.7 cm, white villous outside; lower lip ca. 1.7 × 0.9 cm; middle lobe obcordate, ca. 8 × 8 mm, apex 2-lobulate; lateral lobes lanceolate, ca. 4 × 2 mm, apex 2-toothed. Anterior filaments ca. 1.8 cm, posterior filaments 1.5 cm. Ovary tuberculate. Nutlets black-brown, flattened-obconical, ca. 4 × 2 mm, dusty hairy, apex truncate. Fl. Jun-Aug.

* Dry hills, stony desert steppes; 900-2400 m. Xinjiang.