Herbs, perennial, 40--100 cm tall. Caudex woody, with many rosettes. Leaves wide, thickened, hard, persistent to anthesis; petiole long and distinct, both sides sometimes involute; leaf blade spatulate to obovate-spatulate, (5--)10--15(--25) X 2--6(--15) cm including petiole, base abruptly constricted and then cuneate, apex usually truncate to rounded. Inflorescences large, paniculate, main axis terete, rachis 3--5 X branched, basal branches sterile; bractlets short, slender, numerous, polished or verrucose, verrucae sometimes apically with white clustered hairs; spikes arranged on apical part of branchlets, with 3--7(--9) spikelets; spikelets 1(or 2)-flowered; bracts broadly ovate to subrounded, ca. 1 mm, apical half or more membranous; first bractlet ca. 2 mm. Calyx narrowly funnelform, pubescent along outer ribs or sometimes glabrous; limb white. Corolla pale blue-purple. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Jul-Aug.
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