Plant 15-90 cm high, subglabrous below, densely pubescent above with spreading hairs. Radical leaves crowded, petioles 2-12 cm long, blade 1.5-6 cm long, slightly wider, 3-5-sect to base, subglabrous to villous, segments narrow-cuneate at base, pinnately dissected into teeth or lobes, 1.5-8 mm wide. Cauline leaves more or less reduced. Inflorescence racemose or subpaniculate, 10-25 (-40) cm long, lax with spreading hairs. Bracts lanceolate, 3-5 mm long. Pedicels 4-6 mm long with spreading hairs. Bracteoles c. 2 mm, linear-lanceolate. Sepals bluish-purple to pale, sparsely villous, upper sepals 7-8 mm long, oblong-ovate, pointed, spur 7-10 mm long, hooked, cylindric, lateral sepals 7-8 mm long, rounded, hairy on midline, lower sepals c. 8 mm long, oblong, rounded, upper petals 7-10 mm long, limb oblong, 5 mm long, shortly bilobed, spur 5-6 mm, lower petals 8-9 mm, limb 5 mm to 3 mm bilobed, bearded, claw 4 mm. Stamens 5 mm long. Follicles 3, glabrous or hairy.

Fl. Per.: March-May.

Type: Baluchistan, among wormwood, Stocks 994 (K).

B-7 Swat: Khawaja Khela, Shaukat Ali 26148 (RAW), id., J. Lamond 1702 (E, RAW), Lower Swat, 5.4.1956, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), Thana, E. Nasir 3423 (RAW), Barikot, Shaukat Ali 26150 (RAW), Pir Kili, A. Rahman 25881 (RAW), Shangla, Y. Nasir & Z. Ali 5500 (RAW), Gulibagh, M.A. Siddiqi & Z. Ali 3784 (RAW), Median, Mir Alam 3899 (RAW), Mingora, R.R. Stewart & E. Nasir 210 (RAW), Hazara: Kohala, 16.4.1952, R.R. Stewart & E. Nasir s.n. (RAW), near Mansehra, E. Nasir 1683 (RAW), C-6 Attock: Wah, R.R. Stewart 25776 (RAW), Hasanabdal, R.R. Stewart 7002 (RAW), C-7 Rawalpindi & Islamabad: Margallah hills, ± 3800', Y. Nasir & Nazir 9503 (RAW), Murree, R.R. Stewart 7645 (RAW), Kashmir Maira, ± 4000', R.R. Stewart 27322 (RAW), Domel, May 1962, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), Kohala-Domeli, 13.5.1935, M. Nath s.n. (KUH), Dhanni, 1130 m, F. Schmid 1662 (RAW,G), Chillehana, 3500', 14.5.1954, F. Schmid s.n. (RAW), D-4 Baluchistan: Ziarat, ± 8000', Z. Ali 4817 (RAW).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir.

In Pakistan found from 500-2300 m. Glabrous forms, though less common, recently described as Delphinium uncinatum var. glabrum Qureshi & Chaudhri, do not differ substantially. In the Margallas and possibly elsewh ere both glabrous and hairy forms are met with (Y. Nasir & Nazir 9503 has upper part and stem hairy wh ereas Vicary s.n. has glabrous stems.)