Herbs perennial, ca. 8 cm tall, drying slightly black. Roots fusiform, fleshy. Stems usually numerous, outer ones often procumbent to ascending. Basal leaves numerous, fascicled; petiole 2--4 cm, glabrescent; leaf blade ovate-oblong, 1--2.5 cm, pinnatisect; segments 5--7 pairs, ovate to orbicular, incised-toothed. Stem leaves few, 1 or 2. Inflorescences capitate, 6--10-flowered; bracts leaflike. Pedicel 1--2 mm. Calyx oblong, 1/2 cleft anteriorly, glabrous, usually purplish spotted; tube to 8 mm; lobes 5, unequal. Corolla pale red, ca. 2 cm; tube barely exceeding calyx, sparsely villous; galea twisted; beak slightly S-shaped, ca. 7 mm, slender; lower lip ca. 1 X 1.3 cm. Filaments glabrous. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Sep.