Herbs perennial, (3--)9--18 cm tall, ± drying black. Roots fibrous, clustered. Stems 1 to several, central erect, outer ascending, with 4 lines of hairs. Leaves in whorls of 4. Basal leaves numerous, persistent; petiole ca. 3 cm, broadly winged, sparsely ciliate; leaf blade ovate-oblong, to elliptic-oblong, 6--12 X 3--8 mm, pinnatipartite to pinnatisect; segments 4--6 pairs, ovate, pinnate, margin double dentate. Stem leaves 1 or 2 whorls, similar to basal leaves, but shorter petiolate; petiole 8--10 mm; leaf blade 0.8--2 cm X 4--10 mm. Inflorescences racemose, to 8 cm, interrupted; bracts leaflike, becoming shorter than flowers apically. Pedicel 1--2 mm. Calyx slightly cleft anteriorly, rust colored villous along veins; lobes 5, ± equal, linear-lanceolate. Corolla pink or red to pale purple-red, 1.4--1.6(--2.5) cm, tube ± bent at a right angle basally; galea 3--4(--5.5) mm, rounded in front; lower lip ca. 8--10 mm, not ciliate but erose. 2 filaments villous, 2 glabrous. Capsule ovoid-lanceolate, to 1.4 cm, short apiculate. Fl. Jun--Aug, fr. Sep.

* Alpine meadows, forest margins, grassy slopes; 3200--4600 m. SW Sichuan, E Xizang, NW Yunnan