Rhizomes woody, densely covered by remains of stems and petioles. Stems erect or ascending, 20-30 cm, slender, unbranched, glabrous or sparsely minute hairy along angles. Basal leaves few, ± rosulate; petiole purplish, ca. 2 × as long as blade, densely ciliate, base dilated; leaf blade triangular-ovate to ovate, 0.5-1.8 × 0.5-1.8 cm, papery, adaxially glabrous or sparsely strigose, abaxially densely strigose along elevated veins and margin, base truncate or shallowly cordate, margin crenate or dentate except base, apex rounded to subacute; cauline leaves in 3-6 pairs, short petiolate, upper leaves subsessile, narrowly acicular-triangular toothed. Verticillasters 5-10(-20)-flowered, 2 or 3 in subcapitate spikes; bracts subsessile, lower broadly ovate, upper lanceolate, ca. 1 cm, spinescent-triangular with spines to 5 mm; bracteoles subulate, ca. 1/2 as long as calyx tube, awned. Calyx 1.2-1.5 cm, base narrow, mouth 3-4 mm wide, finely papillate hirtellous, glandular; teeth subequal, ca. 1/2 as long as tube, lanceolate, apex awned-acuminate, 1-1.5 mm. Corolla purple or blue-purple, 2-2.5 cm, white villous; upper lip slightly curved, 2-lobed; lower lip nearly as long as upper lip, 3-lobed. Fl. Jun (specimens not seen).