Herbs, perennial, 30--40 cm tall. Taproot red-brown. Caudex thickened, densely covered by persistent petiole bases. Leaves basal; leaf blade obovate-spatulate to spatulate, 2.5--5 X 1--2 cm including petiole, base attenuate, apex rounded to obtuse. Inflorescences usually solitary, paniculate; rachis terete, generally 3--5 X branched, without or with few sterile branches; spike 1, terminal, with (2--)5--8(--10) spikelets; spikelets 2--4-flowered; bracts broadly ovate, 1.5--2.5 mm, glabrous; first bractlet oblong ovate, 4.5--5.5 mm, glabrescent to partly pubescent. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 6.5--7 mm, densely pilose; tube ca. 1.3 mm in diam.; limb pale grayish purple to nearly white, lobes minute, veins dark purple. Corolla blue-purple. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Aug-Sep.
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