Roots robust, laterals with fusiform segments, crown lanate. Stems 20-25 cm tall, ± purplish when dry, densely white lanate. Petiole 9-10 cm, ± clasping, densely white lanate to villous; basal leaf blade ovate, ca. 10 × 6 cm, bipinnatipartite; segments ovate, sparsely pubescent adaxially, white lanate to villous abaxially, margin irregularly crenate; upper leaves to as long as verticillasters. Spikes oblong-ellipsoid to globose, 6-8 cm, mostly densely white lanate-villous; verticillasters 4- or 5-flowered; floral leaves subsessile, ovate, base cuneate, margin crenate, apex obtuse; bracts linear, ca. 10 × 1 mm. Flowers sessile. Calyx tubular, ca. 2 cm, lanate outside, glabrous inside; teeth truncate, with spines ca. 1 mm. Corolla yellow, 4-4.5 cm, with equal lips; tube glabrous outside, hairy at middle inside; upper lips ovate, ca. 1.8 × 1 cm, erect, apically arcuate, concave, white villous outside, bearded inside and on margin; lower lip flabellate, ca. 1.8 × 2.2 cm, villous outside, glabrous inside, margin undulate; middle lobe reniform, ca. 0.9 × 1.5 cm; lateral lobes circular, ca. 8 mm in diam. Filaments cobwebby at middle, appendages comblike-fimbriate; anthers oblong. Fl. May-Jun.

Variety speciosa is native to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and SW Asia.

* Grassy slopes; ca. 1800 m. Xinjiang