Herbs perennial, 8--30(--50) cm tall, not drying black. Roots numerous, ± fleshy. Stems 1 to several, erect, unbranched apically, glabrous or with 2--4 lines of hairs. Leaves in whorls of 4. Basal leaf petiole 3--4 cm, slender. Stem leaf petiole 3--5 mm; ± glabrescent; leaf blade ovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 2.5--4 X 1--1.5 cm, glabrescent, pinnatipartite; segments 8--12 pairs, widely spaced, linear, dentate; rachis narrowly winged. Inflorescences racemose, 2--8 cm, interrupted basally; proximal bracts leaflike, shorter than flowers, other bracts 3--5-subpalmatifid-lobed. Pedicel 1--2 mm. Calyx cupular, 3--4 mm, membranous, glabrescent, slightly cleft anteriorly; lobes 5, equal, triangular-lanceolate, 2--3 mm, ± entire. Corolla purple-red, ca. 1.5 cm, tube ± decurved at middle, expanded apically, ca. 1 cm; galea slightly falcate, ca. 5 mm, rounded in front; lower lip ca. as long as galea, glabrous; lobes rounded, middle lobe smallest, apex slightly truncate or emarginate. Posterior filaments pubescent apically; anthers acuminate at base. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug. 2n = 16.

Subalpine grassy slopes; 2000--2500 m. N and W Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia (European part, Siberia)]