Perennial, compact subshrub, 80-100 mm tall with reduced branching. Leaves oblanceolate, 40-60(-70) x 8-10(-12) mm; margin undulate, coarsely dentate spinose, spines strong, (2-)4-8(-14) mm long, yellow; almost glabrous or with minute appressed to spreading hairs; base attenuate, decurrent. Inflorescences 2-5 per plant, 45-70 mm long, 12-16(-20) mm in diameter. Bracts hemispherical, obovate or wedge-shaped, 22-32(-35) mm long, base 15-16 mm long, lower bracts truncate, ending in 7 primary spines (central primary spine simple, rest with short basal secondary spines); middle and upper bracts ending in 7 primary spines; central primary spine often compound (with 2 pairs of marginal secondary spines); other primary spines usually with 1 or 2 basal and (0)1 or 2 marginal secondary spines; spines spreading in fruit; bract base glabrous to hirsute with deflexed to spreading short hairs and scattered long hairs; ring of long, silky hairs adaxially at base of spines; spines almost glabrous or villose (long, silky hairs interspersed with short hairs and sparsely scattered to occasional short, glandular hairs). Bracteoles sickle-shaped, 8-9 mm long, silky hairy especially at tip, rarely also with glandular hairs. Calyx with dorsal sepal obovate, apiculate, 11-14 mm long, silky hairy especially abaxially, rarely also with glandular hairs, 7-9-veined from base; ventral sepal ovate, 10-13 mm long, silky hairy especially abaxially, occasionally also with glandular hairs, 5-7-veined from base; lateral sepals 9 mm long, densely silky hairy especially at base, occasionally also with glandular hairs. Flowers blue to deep blue-purple with white throat and dark purple ring around entrance to throat; corolla 45-50 x 10-12 mm, tube (15-)25-35 mm long, villose; corolla limb recurved, central lobe longer than wide or equal, slightly constricted at base, truncate to emarginate. Stamens with purple-black anthers, 2 mm long; filaments 4-5 mm long, glandular, hairy towards base. Style with patch or ring of glandular hairs at base. Capsules and seeds not seen.
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