Perennials, to 15 cm tall, white villous. Primary root turbinate, often fleshly and inflated, to 6 cm; lateral roots few. Leaves mostly basal, numerous, rosulate; petiole broadly winged; leaf blade oblanceolate, to 4 cm or longer, base tapering, margin irregularly incised toothed, apex obtuse. Flowering shoots erect, rarely ascending, unbranched or basally branched, leafless or with 1 or 2 small opposite or alternate leaves. Racemes 10-20-flowered, lax; bracts needlelike, short. Lower pedicel longer than calyx, ca. 5 cm. Calyx campanulate, ca. 5 mm; lobes lanceolate, as long as tube, apex acute, veins inconspicuous. Corolla purplish violet, ca. 1 cm; lower lip middle lobe longer than lateral lobes, all lobes entire; upper lip short, triangular. Ovary glabrous. Capsule globose. Seeds brown-yellow. Fl. and fr. Mar-May.