Caudexes robust, somewhat lignified, branched, densely covered toward apex with persistent scales; scales oblong or lanceolate, up to 10 mm. Stems caespitose, dark brown, slender, 5-15 cm, sparsely arachnoid-pubescent. Leaves alternate, gradually increasing in size toward apex, sessile or shortly petiolate; blade linear or narrowly elliptic, 4-8 × 1-3 mm, abaxially silvery sericeous, adaxially sparsely arachnoid-villous along midvein. Flowers solitary, terminal on longer stems, subtended by a whorl-like aggregation of 4 or 5 leaves that are 8-12 × 2-3.5 mm; pedicels 5-8 mm. Calyx glaucous and densely brown-or black setose; tube cylindrical, 10-15 × 5-7 mm, base truncate; lobes triangular or lanceolate, ca. 1/3 as long as tube, both sides pubescent. Corolla blue or gray-blue, cylindrical-campanulate, ca. 2.5 cm, outside glabrous, inside villous at throat; lobes oblong, apex with a brown villous tuft. Ovary conical, nearly as long as calyx; style extending up to corolla throat; stigma 5-fid. Fl. Jul-Aug.
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