Perennials (fibrous rooted). Stems 1–4+, branched. Leaves glabrous or sparsely hairy adaxially, hairy abaxially; basal present or absent at flowering, linear-spatulate, 7–32 × 0.4–1 cm; proximal cauline linear-spatulate, 3.8–6.2 × 0.2–0.6 cm; mid and distal cauline similar, smaller, distalmost bractlike. Peduncles 5.5–20 cm, hairy. Heads 1–4. Involucres 15–25 mm diam. Phyllaries abaxially hairy; outer green to purple, ovate, 2.9–5.4 mm, apices acute; inner purple, lanceolate, 4.5–7.6 mm, apices acuminate. Receptacles: pit borders toothed to almost entire at angles. Ray florets 8–22, tubes 3–5 mm, laminae 16–27 × 3.5–5.5 mm. Disc florets 40–190; corollas purple (at least tips), 4–7 mm; style branches purple. Cypselae 1.3–2.2 mm; pap-pi of lanceolate, entire or apically lacerate scales 1.5–2.1 mm. 2n = 36.

Flowering summer–fall. Pitcher plant bogs, wet pinelands and savannas; 0–100 m; Fla., Ga., N.C., S.C.