Herbs perennial, 15--30(--50) cm tall, densely pubescent, drying slightly black. Roots fleshy. Stems single or usually 3 or 4, erect, few branched basally, densely rust colored pubescent. Basal leaves usually withering early. Proximal stem leaves pseudo-opposite, distal ones alternate; proximal petioles to 5 cm; leaf blade ovate-oblong to lanceolate-oblong, 7(--13) X 2(--3.5) cm, abaxially whitish scurfy, adaxially glabrous or pubescent along veins, pinnatisect; segments 9--14 pairs, linear-oblong or ovate-oblong, pinnatifid, margin double dentate. Inflorescences racemose, 13(--19) cm, lax; bracts leaflike. Pedicel 1.5--3 mm, slender, densely pubescent. Calyx 5--6 mm, glabrescent, 1/2 cleft anteriorly; lobes 3 or 5, unequal, entire or dentate. Corolla purple or red, 1.2--1.6 cm; tube erect, ca. 2 X as long as calyx, sparsely pubescent externally; galea twisted; beak semicircular or slightly S-shaped apically, slender; lower lip 8--11 mm X 1.1--1.3 cm, ciliate. Filaments pubescent. Capsule ca. 1 cm X 4--5 mm. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.

* Grassy slopes and flats, thickets, woods, along streams, alpine meadows, roadsides; 1400--4400 m. SW Gansu, SW Shaanxi, Sichuan