Perennial holoparasitic herb; achlorophyllous, lacking leaves and roots; rhizomatous with one to several yellowish rhizomes extending deep into ground, numerous secondary haustoria forming from scales where host roots contact rhizome; scales oblong to obtrullate, 5.4-7.4 x 3.6-8.8 mm, apex rounded to obtuse, abaxial surfaces of above-ground scales puberulent to pubescent with multicellular trichomes near apex, scales mostly glabrous below ground. Inflorescence a densely-flowered spike, obovate to oblong, 66-136 x 35-83 mm; flowers strongly inflated and semi-galeate above a narrow tube, with two lateral bracteoles, subtended by a single bract on the abaxial side; floral bract 13-18 x 8-11 mm, ovate to oblong, sometimes slightly spatulate, and keeled adaxially, obtuse to rounded, upper margins entire to slightly scarious, proximally glabrous to puberulent near the apex, becoming pubescent to pilose on the distal abaxial surface and glabrous to puberulent on the distal adaxial surface; bracteoles 17-28 x 3-4 mm, oblanceolate to broadly linear, acute to acuminate, the upper half pubescent to pilose. flowers subsessile to pedicellate; calyx 22-32 mm, with five sepals fused to 1/4-2/3 their length, sepal lobes broadly lanceolate, apex acute to slightly rounded, pilose; corolla dark magenta to purplish-red, 39-55 x 11-14 mm, slightly galeate, broadly inflated above constricted tube 4-14 x 6-8 mm, with two lapel-like lateral lobes and a long denticle at the base of the corolla mouth, lateral lobes reflexed, denticle 1.3-7.5 mm, corolla mouth 15-28 mm, pilose on exterior surface, puberulent with short glandular trichomes on interior surface; stamens 4, inserted on the corolla at the point of constriction, 31-37 mm, one pair slightly shorter than the other, filaments slightly curved at base, glabrous, anthers 3.8-4.6 x 1.8-2.4 mm, calceiform, one-celled, small knob or spur on proximal end from vestigial theca, apical pore elongated and slightly recurved, equal to the corolla mouth to slightly exserted at maturity; pistil strongly recurved below stigma, stigma exserted, clavate, strongly bilobed dorsiventrally, fruits not seen.
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