Herbs, erect or ascending, rarely rooting at nodes. Roots thick, fleshy, densely brownish-tomentose. Stems erect or ascending, unbranched or sparsely branched, 30--105 cm; internodes arachnoid-pubescent. Leaves spirally arranged, sessile; blade linear-lanceolate, 10--35 ´ 0.7--2.8 cm (distal leaf blades equal to or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), apex acuminate, arachnoid-pubescent, especially on sheaths. Inflorescences terminal, often axillary; bracts foliaceous. Flowers distinctly pedicillate; pedicels 1--2.3 cm, pilose or villous with eglandular or mixed eglandular, glandular hairs; sepals 5--14 mm, pubescent with mixture of glandular, eglandular hairs; petals distinct, bright blue-violet, rarely rose or white, broadly ovate, not clawed, 15--18 mm; stamens free; filaments bearded. Capsules 6--8 mm. Seeds 3--4 mm; hilum as long as seed. 2n = 12, 24.

Flowering spring--summer (Mar--Jul). Sandhills with oaks, pine woods, rocky open woods, rarely seepage areas, and roadsides; Ark., La., Tex.