Herbs perennial. Roots numerous, mostly ca. 2 cm long, fusiform thickened at end into tubers ca. 1 cm in diam., densely lanate, a few roots longer, not thickened. Rhizomes absent. Stem 1, erect, simple, 8--30 cm × 1.5--3 mm, glabrous or rather densely hirsutulous, with 1 or 2 leaves. Leaf sheaths pubescent; basal leaves several in a rosette, leaf blade linear, 5--15 × 1--2 cm, margin undulate, ciliate proximally; cauline leaves with blade similar in shape and size to that of basal leaves, or smaller. Flowers several, in fascicles in axils of involucral bracts; involucral bracts several, forming 4--8 cm long spicate inflorescence, sheathlike, basal one sometimes ± leaflike, but much smaller than leaves, usually 1--2.5 cm, sparsely hirsute; pedicels to 2 cm, jointed above middle, with a sheathlike, membranous bracteole at middle, capitate glandular. Sepals lan--ceolate, 5--6 mm, persistent. Petals purple, purple-red, or blue, orbicular. Fertile stamens 2; filaments lanate proximally; staminodes 3; antherodes 3-sect. Capsule broadly ellipsoid, trigonous, 5--6 mm. Seeds ca. 4 per valve, gray. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jun--Jul.
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