Herbs perennial, 10--25 cm tall, subglabrous, drying black. Roots fascicled, ± fusiform, fleshy. Stems often single. Leaves mostly basal; petiole to 4 cm; leaf blade ± lanceolate, to 5 X 1.3 cm, glabrous on both surfaces, pinnatisect; segments 15--30 pairs, ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, pinnatifid or double dentate. Stem leaves few, similar to basal leaves but smaller and shorter petiolate. Inflorescences short spicate, to 6 cm, often dense; bracts longer than flowers basally, narrowly lanceolate to linear-lanceolate. Calyx tubular, to 1.4 cm; lobes 5, unequal, linear-lanceolate, ciliate, serrulate. Corolla pale yellow; tube ca. 1.6 cm, glabrous; galea slightly falcate, ca. 9 mm, apex short beaked; lower lip shorter than galea. Filaments glabrous. Capsule lanceolate-oblong, 1.5--1.6 cm. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.