Caudex carrot-shaped, 6--8 cm, ca. 1.5 cm in diam. Stem to 1 m tall, branched, retrorse pubescent, with leaves equally arranged along stem. Proximal cauline leaves withered at anthesis; middle ones long petiolate; petiole 2--10 cm; leaf blade pentagonal, (4.5--)5(--10) × 6.5--15 cm, abaxially pubescent at veins, adaxially sparsely appressed pubescent, 3-sect or -parted; central segment rhombic, subpinnately lobed; lateral segments obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-parted nearly to base. Inflorescence terminal, 30--45 cm, many flowered; rachis and pedicels densely retrorse and appressed pubescent; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones smaller, 3-fid or oblong. Pedicel 1--10 cm, with 2 bracteoles at middle or above; proximal bracteoles 3-fid, shortly stipitate, oblong to linear, 4--10 mm, distal ones unlobed. Sepals pale blue, abaxially pubescent; lower sepals ca. 1.3 cm; lateral sepals ca. 1.7 cm; upper sepal galeate, ca. 1.5 cm high, lower margin 2--2.2 cm, apex curved. Petaline claw pubescent, apex slightly geniculate; lip ca. 4.5 mm, 2-lobed at apex; spur incurved, ca. 1.6 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments 2-denticulate. Carpels 5, densely appressed pubescent. Follicles ca. 1 cm. Seeds 2.5--3 mm. 2n = 16*.

* Abies forests, scrub, grassy slopes; 2800--3900 m. W Sichuan (Yanyuan Xian), NW Yunnan (Lijiang Naxi Zu Zizhixian).