Rhizomes 3-6 mm in diam. Stems red-purple, 1 or 2, ascending, 10-15 cm, densely retrorse puberulent, with 1-3 internodes below inflorescence. Basal leaves 2-6; petiole to 5 cm; leaf blade ovate to narrowly ovate, 1.2-3 × 1-2 cm; cauline blades on short petioles, subcircular, smaller, adaxially glabrous, abaxially sparsely appressed white villous, veins slightly elevated abaxially, base cordate, margin densely involute serrate, apex rounded. Verticillasters in terminal capitula 2.5-3.5 cm; bracts obovate to rhombic-obovate, slightly shorter than calyx, margin densely ciliate, finely spinescent or with 1-3 serrate teeth. Calyx purplish red, ca. 1.2 cm, sparsely villous, ciliate, 2-lipped to nearly its entire length; upper lip middle tooth broadly obovate, ca. 2 × as wide as lanceolate lateral teeth, apex short acuminate; lower lip teeth similar to lateral teeth of upper lip. Corolla blue, 2-2.2 × 0.3 cm, pubescent; upper lip ca. as long as lower lip; lower lip 3-lobed, middle lobe obcordate, lateral lobes small. Fl. May-Jun.

Closely related to Dracocephalum imbricatum but with smaller serrate bracts.

* Alpine meadows; ca. 4800 m. Sichuan (Muli Xian)