Herbs perennial to 60 cm tall, ± drying black. Roots ± fusiform, fleshy. Stems 1 to several, unbranched, glabrous basally, with 4 or 5 lines of hairs apically. Basal leaves withering early. Stem leaves in whorls of 4 or 5; ± sessile to short petiolate, glabrous; leaf blade lanceolate-oblong, to 7 X 3 cm, pinnatifid; segments 6--10 pairs, linear, adaxially pubescent along midvein, incised-dentate. Inflorescences centripetal, elongated, with 8--12 fascicles, interrupted; bracts linear, longer than flowers. Calyx cylindric, ca. 9 X 2.5 mm; lobes 5, unequal, posterior one smaller and narrower than lateral lobes, lateral lobes lanceolate, slightly serrate, densely ciliate. Corolla purple-red; tube ca. 9 mm, glabrous; galea bent apically, margin ciliate; beak S-shaped, to 1 cm, densely brown lanulose at middle; lower lip ciliate. Filaments glabrescent. Capsule 2/3 enclosed by accrescent calyx, long ovoid, ca. 1.2 cm. Fl. and fr. Jun--Aug.

* Moist ground; Picea woodlands, margins of burned forests, forest clearings; 2700--3700 m. SE Xizang.