Plants perennial, with overlapping bud scales at base forming a 4--10 cm stock; scales oblong, glabrous, apex brownish. Leaves developing at same time as flowers or shortly thereafter; petiole winged, the portion exerted from basal scales very short to 1/3 as long as leaf blade; leaf blade elliptic to oblong, 2--8 X 1.2--5 cm at anthesis, tapering to base, glabrous or sparsely pilose when young, margin entire, apex rounded to apiculate. Scapes 12--25 cm, elongating to 60 cm in fruit, glandular pilose. Calyx campanulate, 7--12(--16) mm, with glandular hairs, parted nearly to base; lobes lanceolate, apex acute to obtuse. Corolla deep red to bluish purple; tube 3--4 cm, pilose outside; limb 4--6 cm wide; lobes broadly obovate to oblong, 2-lobed, margin entire to incised-dentate. Stamens inserted at middle of corolla tube; filaments to 1 cm, glandular; anthers ca. 5 mm. Ovary glabrous; style exserted. Capsule 2--3 cm. Fl. Jun-Jul.