Herbs annual, (6--)40 cm tall, not drying black. Roots ± woody. Stems usually numerous, cespitose, unbranched to many branched basally and unbranched apically, densely pubescent to glabrescent. Leaves in whorls of 4. Basal leaf petiole to 2.5 cm, sparsely pubescent. Stem leaf petiole barely 0.5--1.5 cm; leaf blade ovate to linear-oblong or ovate-oblong, 2--3.5 X 0.7--1.8 cm, abaxially long pilose along midvein, adaxially sparsely appressed-pubescent, pinnatifid; segments 3--9 pairs, rounded, margin double dentate. Inflorescences spicate, 2--8(--20) cm, interrupted basally; proximal bracts leaflike, rhomboid-lanceolate or ± flabellate, white villous. Calyx (3.5--)4--5.5 mm, membranous, slightly cleft anteriorly; lobes 5, unequal, villous along veins, ciliate. Corolla pale purple-red, (0.9--)1.3--1.7 cm; tube 7--8 mm, ± bent at a right angle basally, expanded apically; galea nearly straight, 3.5--5.5 mm, slightly rounded in front, apex truncate; lower lip 6--9 X 7.5--10.5 mm, lobes ± obovate; middle lobe narrowly obovate, smaller than lateral pair, finely glandular ciliate. Filaments glabrous. Capsule triangular-lanceolate, 1--1.5 cm, apex acute. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.
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