Herbs perennial, 10--27(--40) cm tall, tomentose. Roots conical, thick, 9--18 cm, fleshy. Stems densely caespitose, ascending. Leaves obovate-spatulate, 0.5--1.5 × 0.3--1.2 cm, both surfaces pubescent, margin ciliate; basal leaves long petiolate; cauline leaves sessile. Cymes terminal, 5--20-flowered; bracts leaflike, ovate, 2--5 mm, margin ciliate. Flowers 4--13 mm in diam.; pedicel 2--9 mm. Calyx green, broadly campanulate, 3--6 mm, lobed for ca. 1/2 its length; lobes ovate or lanceolate, margin ciliate, apex obtuse. Petals lilac or white, pale purple-red 3-veined, obovate-cuneate, 5--8 mm, base narrowed, apex retuse. Stamens shorter than petals. Ovary ovoid. Styles 2(or 3). Capsule ovoid, usually indehiscent. Seeds black, compressed globose, ca. 0.7 mm in diam., minutely tuberculate. Fl. and fr. May--Aug.
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