Herbs perennial, efarinose. Basal bud scales ovate to ovate-oblong, 8--20 cm, ciliolate, apex acute. Leaves forming a rosette; petiole 2--8.5 cm, with multicellular hairs; leaf blade elliptic to oblong, (3--)6--16 X 2--6.5 cm, thin papery when dry, abaxially with multicellular hairs along midvein and lateral veins, adaxially glabrous, base obtuse to broadly cuneate, margin irregularly hydathode-dentate, apex rounded; lateral veins 10--13 pairs, raised abaxially; reticulate veins inconspicuous. Scapes arising from resting bud, 5--8 cm, elongating to 18 cm in fruit, with tawny multicellular hairs; umbels 2--8-flowered; bracts linear-lanceolate, 4--7 mm. Pedicel 6--8 mm, sparsely pilose. Flowers heterostylous. Calyx campanulate, ca. 9 mm, sparsely puberulous, parted nearly to middle; lobes ovate-lanceolate, apex acute. Corolla violet; limb 2--2.5 mm wide; lobes obovate, deeply emarginate. Pin flowers: corolla tube nearly as long as calyx; stamens at middle of corolla tube; style ca. as long as tube. Thrum flowers: corolla tube ca. 3 mm longer than calyx; stamens toward apex of corolla tube; style 3--4 mm. Capsule discoid, disintegrating at maturity. Fl. May.