Herbs, monocarpic, to 25 cm tall in flower, often not more than 12 cm tall, with tufted, persistent leaf bases. Taproot plump, to 23 cm, upper part ca. 2 cm in diam. Leaves all basal; petiole broadly or narrowly strap-shaped, 3-8 cm; blade glaucous abaxially, green adaxially, ovate to oblong, 1.5-3.7 × 1-1.8 cm, thick, almost fleshy, both surfaces glabrous, or abaxially sparsely setose, abaxially with obvious veins tenuous, adaxially with obscure veins, pinnatipartite or 3-lobed; terminal lobes ovate or suborbicular; lateral lobes spatulate to obovate, apically rounded to somewhat apiculate. Scape 4-16, 6-20 cm (to 30 cm in fruit), glabrous or sparsely hirsute. Flowers solitary on scape, 3-7.4 cm in diam.; buds oval, 8-12 × 5-8 mm. Petals 4, slightly blue, lilac, lavender, or wine-purple, obovate to suborbicular, 2.5-4 × 2-3.6 cm, apex rounded to subacute. Filaments of same color as petals, filiform, ca. 8 mm; anthers orange, oblong. Ovary narrowly elliptic or elliptic-oblong, ca. 6 mm, inclined hirsute; styles 4-5 mm; stigmas capitate, 3-or 4-lobed. Capsule narrowly oblong or cylindrical, 3.6-9 cm × 4-5 mm, with sparse rubiginous or spreading bristles, 3-or 4-valvate for ca. 1/4 its length from apex. Seeds narrowly oblong or elliptic-oblong, seed coat longitudinally thinly striate. Fl. Jun-Aug.
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