Herbs, 5-14 cm tall. Lateral roots more than 4 cm; root crown without remnants of old petioles. Rhizomes ca. 6 mm in diam. Stems often 2, slightly longer than leaves. Basal leaves 4-6; petiole 4-10 cm; leaf blade broadly ovate to orbicular, 3-4 cm, margin crenate. Stem leaves 3 or 4, short petiolate or sessile, smaller than basal leaves, margin undulate to subentire. Spikes dense, subcapitate, 1-3 cm; bracts linear-oblanceolate to spatulate, 8-10 mm. Calyx shorter than bracts, nearly as long as corolla tube, emarginate to subentire, primary veins 2. Corolla dull red, 0.9-1.1 cm; tube slightly longer than limb, curved; lower lip slightly longer than upper, 2-lobed; lobes oblong-lanceolate, apex acuminate; upper lip unlobed, oblong, ca. 3 mm. Stamens inserted at corolla sinuses. Style included; stigma capitate. Fl. Jun.

* Alpine gravelly areas with running water; 4600-4700 m. Qinghai.