Herbs annual, 15(--40) cm tall, not drying black. Roots conical, small, ± woody. Stems single and erect, but several and ascending, often densely white or pale brown villous. Leaves in whorls of 4. Basal leaves often withering early; petiole 0.7--2 cm, densely villous. Stem leaves in 2(or 3) whorls, shorter petiolate; leaf blade ovate to ovate-oblong or narrowly oblong, 0.7--2 cm X 4--10 mm, abaxially densely strigose, adaxially densely villous along veins, pinnatifid; segments 6--10 pairs, margin lobed and double dentate. Inflorescences spicate, to 4 cm, interrupted basally; axis densely villous; proximal bracts leaflike. Calyx 4--5 mm, densely villous along veins; lobes 5, unequal, posterior one smallest, triangular; lateral lobes long ovate, ca. 1.5 mm. Corolla pale red, ca. 1.5 cm; tube strongly decurved basally, expanded apically; galea barely 3.5--4 mm, shorter than lower lip, apex rounded, angulate in front, not toothed; lower lip ca. 6 X 8.5 mm, lobes obovate and retuse, middle lobe smallest. Filaments glabrous. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Aug.

* Slopes; ca. 3800 m. NW Sichuan.