Plants annual or biennial, densely appressed strigose. Stems numerous, cespitose, branched at base, ca. 35 cm tall; branches ascending. Basal leaves withered at fruiting time; stem leaves sessile, linear, 0.7-1.5 cm × 1-3 mm, ± appressed strigose, adaxially sparsely pubescent, apex obtuse. Inflorescences terminal on branches, densely branched; bracts narrowly ovate, lower bracts longer to slightly shorter than pedicel, upper bracts much shorter. Pedicel 4-7 mm, appressed strigose. Calyx ca. 2 mm at anthesis, to 3.5 mm in fruit; lobes erect or appressed to nutlets. Corolla funnelform, blue, ca. 4 mm; tube ca. 2 mm; throat appendages trapeziform; limb 4-5(-7) mm wide; lobes oblong. Gynobase 1.5-2 mm, longer than nutlets. Nutlets triangular-ovoid, tuberculate, inner angle united with gynobase for 2/3 length; disc center line keeled with a few glochids; marginal glochids in 2 rows; inner glochids 0.3-0.6 mm; outer glochids 0.1-0.2 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug.