Stem 10-50 cm, slender, ± strigose, sometimes with scattered eglandular hairs. Lower leaf petioles up to 15 cm, upper much shorter. Leaf blade 2-10 cm wide, reniform pentagonal, usually strigulose, palmately 5-7-lobed to the middle, segments with a few teeth or lobules. Inflorescence few-flowered, corymbose or particulate. Pediclels 1-8 cm long, strigose to spreading pubescent. Bracteoles 4-10 mm long, s etaceous to broadly lanceolate, usually remote from flower, entire. Sepals bluish-purple, rarely pinkish, persistent. pubescent, veined. Upper sepal 20-30 x 12-15 mm, obtuse, spurt ± straight, conical 12-15 x 5-12 mm at the base, lateral sepals 15-25 x 6-12 mm, obtuse, lower sepals 15-25 x 6-16 mm, rhombic-obovate. Petals dark purple to light blue, upper pair slightly oblique, limb 13 mm long, glabrous, erose or bidentate, spur 8-11 mm long, lower petals strongly oblique, oblong-obovate, long bearded and ciliate, 8 x 5 mm, cleft to the middle, claw 7-8 mm. Stamens 6-7 mm, glabrous. Follicles 3-7, 13-15 x 4 mm, hairy, styles 2-3 mm. Seeds covered with horizontal rows of scales.

Fl. Per.: August.

Type: from the gardens of Shalimar, Kashmir (DD, for further details see Launaer, l.c.).

B-7 Hazara: Gittidas-Babusar, 12,500', 22.7.1953, S.M. Kazmi s.n. (KUH), Kagan, M. Sulaiman 2 (RAW), Gittidas-Babusar, M.A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 4111 (RAW), Gittidas, alpine, Ch. Shaukat Ali & Metz 54 (RAW), Kashmir: Masjid Gali, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18369 (RAW), Kamri Pass, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18723 (KUH), Dungian, Sultanul Abedin & M. Qaiser 9220 (KUH), Baltistan: Burjila, N. slope, E. Nasir & G.L. Webster 6560 (RAW), Deosai-Skardu, 13,000', E. Nasir & G.L. Webster 6192 (RAW), Chilam-Sochar Pass, E. Nasir & G.L. Webster 6524 (RAW).

Distribution: Pakistan, Kashmir to Tibet.

Common. A variable species from 2940-4800 m.