Herbs perennial, 15--20 cm tall. Stems caespitose, suberect, slender, simple. Basal leaves linear, 5--7 cm × 1--1.5(--2) mm, ciliate near basal margin, both surfaces glabrous, midvein prominent, apex acuminate; cauline leaves few, linear. Flowers 1--3, erect, ca. 2 cm in diam. Pedicel 1.5--2 cm, slender, glabrous; bracts linear or linear-lanceolate, 1--2 cm. Calyx usually green-violet or violet, narrowly cylindric, 2--2.5 cm × 2.5--3 mm, glabrous, umbilicate at base, apically slightly inflated at late maturity, longitudinal veins inconspicuous, cohering at apex; calyx teeth triangular-lanceolate, 3--7 mm, apex acuminate. Androgynophore 8--12 mm, glabrous. Petals 2--2.5 cm; claws exserted 2--3 mm beyond calyx, oblanceolate, glabrous, exauriculate; limbs obovate, 6--8 mm, sometimes shallowly bifid; coronal scales lanceolate, ca. 1 mm, margin entire or obscurely toothed. Stamens and styles slightly exserted; filaments glabrous. Styles 3. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, ca. 1 cm, shorter than or subequaling calyx. Seeds reddish brown, reniform, ca. 1.2 mm. Seeds with a marginal rim of spinose processes. Fl. Jun, fr. Jul.
Home