Perennial herb to 45 cm. tall, often less, with stems arising from a crown surmounting a tuberous rootstock consisting of few–many fleshy roots, ± 2–4 mm. in diameter; stems erect, unbranched or branched in the lower half, fleshy, pale green, glabrous.. Leaves spirally arranged, pale green; petiole 1.5–6.2 cm. long, slender; lamina broadly ovate, ovate-elliptic or elliptic, 2.5–10 cm. long, 2.5–6 cm. broad, the apex slightly acuminate, acute, the base shortly cuneate, sparsely pubescent above, subglabrous or with a few hairs on the midrib and lateral veins beneath; lateral veins 4–8 pairs; margin coarsely crenate to crenate-dentate.. Flowers axillary, solitary or in fascicles of 2–3, bright flame-red, the lower sepal and spur often deep flame-red.. Bracts linear-subulate, 2–4 mm. long, inconspicuous.. Pedicels 3–4.9 cm. long, slender, glabrous.. Lateral sepals narrowly falcate, 5–10 mm. long, acute, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.. Lower sepal narrowly saccate, 7–13 mm. long, 14–20 mm. deep, abruptly constricted and incurved into an 8–18 mm. long filiform spur whose tip reaches the tip of the lower sepal or exceeds it.. Dorsal petal 8–12 mm. long, 7–11 mm. broad, cucullate, dorsally with a broad crest terminating in a short acute point.. Lateral united petals 7–10 mm. long; upper petal of each pair oblong, 5–7 mm. long, 4–5 mm. broad, shortly apiculate; lower petal oblong or suborbicular, 4–5 mm. long, 2.5–3.5 mm. broad.. Ovary glabrous.. Fruit and seeds unknown.. Figs. 4/68, p. 8; 11, p. 70.
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