Herbs perennial. Leaves forming a rosette; petiole winged by decurrent leaf blade, indistinct to 1/2 as long as leaf blade; leaf blade oblong-oblanceolate to oblong-spatulate, 2--13 X 0.5--2(--3) cm, abaxially white or yellow farinose but occasionally only minutely glandular, adaxially minutely glandular, base long attenuate, margin erose-denticulate, apex acute to rounded. Scapes 10--45 cm, farinose at least near apex; umbel capitate, many flowered; bracts ovate to broadly lanceolate, 6--8 X 3--4 mm, clustered below umbel and forming a tuft or crown at apex. Pedicel 1--2 mm. Flowers spreading or ± nodding, heterostylous. Calyx often tinged with purple, campanulate, obscurely asymmetrical, 5--8 mm, parted to below middle; lobes broadly ovate to elliptic, rarely lanceolate, apex obtuse to acute. Corolla purple, with a yellow eye; limb 7--10 mm wide; lobes obovate, deeply 2-lobed. Pin flowers: corolla tube 6--7.5 mm; stamens ca. 2 mm above the base of corolla tube; style 3.5--4 mm. Thrum flowers: corolla tube 7--9 mm; stamens 5--7 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. 1 mm. Capsule subglobose, shorter than calyx. Fl. Sep. 2n = 18.