Herbs perennial, 20--60 cm tall, ± drying black. Roots woody. Stems numerous, central stem erect, outer ones ± ascending, with 4 lines of hairs. Leaves in whorls of 4. Basal leaves densely clustered, persistent; petiole to 3 cm. Stem leaf petiole 0.5--1.5 cm; leaf blade lanceolate-oblong to ovate-oblong, 1.5--4 cm, abaxially white scurfy, adaxially glabrous, pinnatisect; segments 8--10 pairs, ovate-oblong, reflexed dentate. Inflorescences racemose, elongated to 25 cm; bracts linear-lanceolate. Pedicel 1--7 mm. Calyx ovate-oblong, ca. 6 mm, membranous, villous-ciliate, slightly cleft anteriorly; lobes 5, unequal. Corolla pale red, ca. 1.6 cm; tube decurved basally, ca. 1.1 cm, expanded apically; galea erect, narrowly crested, slightly rounded in front; lower lip longer than galea, ca. 7 mm, middle lobe rounded, smaller than lateral lobes, ca. 2.5 mm wide, lobes finely ciliate, erose, apex often apiculate. Anterior filaments pilose. Capsule slightly oblique, ovoid, apiculate. Fl. Jul, fr. Jul--Sep.

* Thickets; ca. 3300 m. SE Xizang.