Plants perennial, coarse, rhizomatous; rhizome branched, stout. Stems erect, few-branched, 50-100 cm, hispid. Leaves rounded into tightly sessile base; blade lanceolate to ovate, 5-12 cm × 20-60 mm, apex acute, sparsely scabrous-pubescent on both surfaces, scabrous-ciliate on abaxial margins and midrib; basal leaf blades broadly spatulate. Inflorescences subcapitate between terminal pair of leaves, 10-50-flowered, congested, bracteate; bracts lanceolate, herbaceous, ciliate. Flowers sessile to subsessile, 10-16 mm diam.; calyx 10-veined, narrow and tubular in flower, clavate in fruit, 12-17 mm, margins dentate, lobes triangular-lanceolate, 2.5-2.5 mm, coarsely hirsute; petals scarlet, sometimes white or pink, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb spreading, obovate, deeply 2-lobed, 6-11 mm, shorter than calyx, appendages tubular, 2-3 mm; stamens equaling calyx; stigmas 5, equaling calyx. Capsules ovoid, 8-10 mm, opening by 5 teeth; carpophore 4-6 mm. Seeds dark reddish brown, reniform-rotund, 0.7-1 mm diam., coarsely papillate; papillae ca. as high as wide. 2n = 24 (Europe).
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Herb, perennial with long, spreading to appressed, multicellular hairs. Stem erect, simple, 30–45 cm high. Leaves sessile, ovate, acute, usually entire, scabrous to sparsely pubescent, ciliate, 2–4 cm long, 3–10 mm wide. Inflorescence a dense, terminal head; bracts herbaceous. Pedicels c. 5 mm long. Calyx cylindrical, 12–14 mm long, hairy; calyx lobes lanceolate, acute. Petals 15–20 mm long, scarlet; limb bifid. Styles 5. Capsule ovoid, longer than calyx; carpophore 4–6 mm long. Seeds not seen.
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