Perennial, up to 30 cm high herb with stringy roots. Stem erect, simple, densely covered at base by sheaths of old leaves. Basal leaves more distinct, longer than cauline leaves, rosulate, 2.0-10 x 0.4-0.8 cm, oblong-oblanceolate, lanceolate, margin hyaline, entire, obtuse, univeined, cauline leaves 1.0-3.0(-3.5) x 0.4-1.0 cm, narrowly lanceolate-lanceolate, margin entire, acute. Inflorescence 3-6 flowered umbellate cyme in terminal cl usters. Flowers 15-3.0(-5.0) cm long, campanulate, pedicellate, pedicel short or long. Calyx 12-2.0 cm long, tube 0.55-0.8 cm long, lobes 0.55-0.9 x 0.15-0.25 cm, lanceolate-broadly lanceolate, entire, acute-acuminate, sinuses between lobes acute. Corolla 15-4.0 cm long, blue, campanualte, tube longer than lobes, 1.25-2.75 cm long, lobes 0.4-0.8 x 0.35-0.55 cm, oblanceolate-oblong or oval, entire, obtuse, plicae smaller than lobes, 0.15-0.25 x 0.1-0.15 cm, lanceolate-ovate, entire, acute-acuminate. Stamens 5, filaments winged at base, adnate in middle of corolla, anthers dorsifixed, elongated, bitobed. Ovary stipitate, 0.4-0.6 x 0.1-0.3 cm, narrowly lanceolate, style present, stigma obscurely bibbed. Nectaries at base of ovary. Capsule 0.5-0.75 x 025-0.4 cm, oblong, many seeded, exserted. Seeds small, brown, reticulated.

Fl. Per.: April-June.

Type: Persia, Hab. Inter Kermanschah et Amadan, Olivier s.n. (Holo-G, Photo!).

A-6 Chitral: Shoghor Gol, Karimabad village, W. of Tirich Mir, c. 3200 m, 22.6.1987, Ghafoor & Omer 2900 (KUH), Shandur, 9-10000 ft., Toppin 620(K), Bombrait, 12000 ft., Duthie 7 (K), Drosh, 5000 ft., Toppin 165 (K), Turikho river, 7000 ft:, 24.5.1958, Stainton 2508 (BM, E), Chitral village, 5000 ft., 15.4.1958, Stainton 2211(BM, E), D-4 Quetta: Hazarganji, c. 13 miles from Quetta on way to Naushki, S. Abedin 4954 (KUH), Hazarganji, 10.5.1983, Rasool Buksh s.n. (KUH), id., 5.5.1985, Ghafoor & Yusuf 1254 (KUH), Ziarat , May 1962, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), Quetta-Chaman, Qila Abdullah to Shelabagh, 16-1900 m, Lamond 1053 (E), Sor range, 6-7000 ft., 20.6.1952, Crookshank 310 (K), Chebel Tum, 1851, Stocks s.n. (K), id., ibid. 1018 (K), Shelabagh, 6000 ft., 2.4.1889, Lace 5/90 (K), ibid., 27.4.1889, Lace 3826 (E), Pill hill, 8000 ft., 21.5.1888, Lace 3826 (E), Mach, 6000 ft., 4.5.1893, Monks s.n. (K), Baluchistan, ignot, Duthie s.n. (K).

Distribution: Turkey, Syria, Israel, Iraq, Iran, U.S.S.R., Afghanistan, Paidstan.

A widely distributed species present in Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian regions. In Pakistan, it is fairly common in Balochistan and Chitral.

A perennial species of dry hill slopes gr owing at varying elevations (5000-13000 ft.).

A variable species. Various workers have recognized a number of forms on the basis of size of pedicels (forma sessiliflora Kusn., forma elongata C. Winkl.), size of calyx (forma aucheri Griseb.), and size of corolla (forma paviflora Regel & forma grandiflora Regel). It seems that all these forms are not distinct taxonomically.