Herbs perennial, 10--20(--30) cm tall, drying black. Roots fascicled. Stems dark purple, shiny, pubescent when young, glabrescent. Leaves mostly basal, in a rosette; petiole 2--4(--7) cm; leaf blade linear-oblanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, 3--5(--11) cm, abaxially sparsely long pubescent, adaxially glabrous, pinnatisect; segments 12--26 pairs, triangular to ovate-oblong, pinnatifid to incised-dentate. Stem leaves few, alternate, smaller than basal leaves. Inflorescences 3--7(--9) cm; bracts slightly longer than calyx. Pedicel short, sparsely pubescent. Calyx ca. 1.1 cm, slightly cleft anteriorly; lobes 5, ± equal, serrate. Corolla purple-red, 2--2.2 cm; tube ca. as long as calyx; galea bent apically, 1--1.2 cm, truncate, proximal teeth most distinct and longest; lower lip slightly shorter than galea, praemorse-serrulate and ciliate. 2 filaments pubescent, 2 glabrous. Capsule lanceolate-ovoid, ca. 1.4 cm. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Jun--Aug.