Herbs perennial, usually less than 10 cm tall, ± drying black. Roots fascicled, filiform, fleshy. Stems usually decumbent or ascending, often many branched basally and at middle, densely pale brown pilose. Basal leaves purple-black, persistent; petiole filiform, to 3 cm, 3--4 X as long as leaf blade; leaf blade broadly ovate-cordate to elliptic-cordate, pinnatifid; segments 3--6 pairs, broadly ovate, margin lobed or double dentate. Stem leaves often opposite or occasionally in whorls of 4, shorter petiolate; leaf blade narrow, abaxially white hirsute along veins, adaxially sparsely appressed pilose; segments ca. 5 pairs. Inflorescences capitate, densely purplish red pilose; bracts purplish red, much shorter than flowers, purplish villous. Calyx ca. 6 mm, membranous, 2.5--3 mm, scarcely cleft anteriorly, tinged with red, purplish villous; lobes 5, 1.7--2 mm, unequal. Corolla purplish red, 1.5--1.6 cm; tube decurved basally; galea ca. 4.5 mm, apex truncate, not toothed; lower lip ca. 6 mm X 1.1 cm, lobes ovate, ± equal, praemorse-serrate. Filaments glabrous. Fl. Aug--Sep, fr. Sep.
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