Herbs perennial, ± cespitose. Rhizomes oblique, 3-5 mm in diam. Stems purple-red, numerous, ascending, 10-27 cm, unbranched or few branched, retrorse pubescent; internodes below inflorescence 6-9 cm, internodes in inflorescence 0.8-1.5 cm. Petiole 5-6 × as long as basal blade, as long as to longer than blade at mid stem; leaf blade broadly ovate, 0.8-1.3 × 0.7-1.4 cm, sparsely pubescent, abaxially golden glandular, base cordate, margin crenate-dentate, apex obtuse. Verticillasters in uppermost 1-3 stem nodes, crowded in capitula; floral leaves leaflike, serrate with an apical spine to 3.6 mm; bracts elliptic-ovate to obovate, 2-3 mm, densely villous, margin with 4 or 5 teeth terminated in a spine 2.5-4.5 mm. Calyx purple, 6-7 mm, densely lanate, 2-lipped, lip divided to middle of calyx; upper lip teeth divisions to 1/3 its length, teeth subequal, triangular-ovate, apex spinescent-acuminate, sinuses with spinescent appendages; teeth of lower lip lanceolate. Corolla blue-purple, ca. 8 mm, puberulent, lips subequal. Stamens ca. 1.1 cm, much exserted. Nutlets black-brown, oblong, ca. 2 × 1.2 mm.