Perennial shrublet, 20-30 cm tall. Stems brown, ribbed, pubescent with white, spreading hairs; internodes 8-10 mm long. Leaves lanceolate, 40-45(-55) x 4-6 mm, appear glaucous, strigose with densely packed, short hairs, also with scattered subsessile glandular hairs; margin undulate, dentate-spinose to erose, spines fine 1-2 mm long, yellow; base attenuate, decurrent. Inflorescences cylindrical, subsessile to pedunculate with 2 (or 3) pairs of peduncular bracts; 50-80(-100) mm long (excluding peduncle), 8-10 mm in diameter, peduncle (5-)10-15(-20) mm long, pubescent with short, spreading hairs. Bracts wedge-shaped, 15-20 mm long, base 4-7 mm long; ending in 5 primary spines, central primary spine usually simple, occasionally with 1 (or 2) pairs of marginal secondary spines, lateral spines usually with 1 long, basal secondary spine (usually as long or longer than primary spines) and 1 short, marginal secondary spine; hirsute to velvety with deflexed to spreading short hairs, occasionally also with subsessile glandular hairs. Bracteoles linear, 7-9 mm long, silky hairy. Calyx with dorsal sepal ovate, attenuate, 13 mm long, silky hairy especially adaxially, often short, spreading hairs abaxially, 7-9-veined from base; ventral sepal ovate, 10-12 mm long, silky hairy especially adaxially, often with short, spreading hairs abaxially, 5-7-veined from base; lateral sepals lanceolate, ending in spinous tip, broader at base, 9 mm long, silky hairy especially along margins. Flowers lilac to purple with darker veins and white throat; corolla 28 x 12 mm, tube 8-10 mm long, pubescent; corolla limb recurved, central lobe usually wider than long, constricted at base, truncate to emarginate. Stamens with purple-black anthers, 2 mm long; filaments 7(-8) mm long, glandular, hairy towards the base. Style with patch of glandular hairs at base. Capsules ovate, flattened, glabrous, shiny, 7 x 4 mm, 2-seeded. Seeds 4 x 4 mm, covered with long white hygroscopic hairs.
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