Corolla c. 25 mm. long, "vermilion", with coarse appressed hairs outside, glabrous inside except for gland-tipped hairs around the mouth and on the lower lip; tube broadly funnel-shaped, held obliquely erect from the contracted base, c. 23 mm. from the base to the sinus between the two posticous lobes, c. 6 mm. across mouth, hooded owing to the two lateral lobes ascending to join the two posticous lobes and so forming the upper lip, posticous lobes suborbicular, c. 3 × 3 mm., the two laterals elliptic and slightly larger, lower lip (anticous lobe) elliptic, c. 11 × 5 mm., deflexed.
Leaves (basal or large cauline) elliptic, c. 15–25 × 5–10 cm., apex obtuse, base cuneate, decurrent on the petiole (c.30 mm.), margin coarsely serrate-dentate, softly pilose above, the hairs more or less confined to the nerves below, nerves and stalk reddish-brown; small cauline leaves somewhat unequal, 30–50 × 12–15 mm.
Ovary c. 5 mm. long, appressed-pubescent; style c. 11 mm. long, more or less terete, curved up under the corolla hood and slightly exserted, pubescent at base, becoming glabrous upwards; stigma terminal, barely broader than the style, a grooved papillose dome rimmed by stylar tissue.
Calyx divided nearly to the base into five lanceolate-falcate segments, 3 upper 11 × 3 mm., erect and with curved tips, 2 lower 13 × 3 mm., directed forwards, all with 3–5 conspicuous parallel nerves, small dark glands inside, coarse appressed hairs outside, margins ciliate.
Stamens arising in upper third of corolla tube and protruding from corolla mouth; filaments c. 8 mm. long, slightly thickened about the middle and with a few gland-tipped hairs; anther lobes c. 2 mm. long, lateral staminodes 1 mm. long.
Inflorescence capitate (but the material is very young) subtended by four ovate bracts, c. 9 × 8 mm., with serrate margins, pilose, apparently deep red.
Peduncles terminal, c. 45–60 × 5 mm., densely pilose with whitish hairs, and with a pair of reduced leaves c. 15 × 5 mm. well below the inflorescence.
Pedicels 4–5 mm. long, stout, sparingly pilose, each subtended by a bract, c. 10 × 2 mm., closely resembling a calyx segment.
Capsule bearing elongated (up to 25 mm.) style until nearly ripe, c. 30 × 1.5 mm., pilose.
Seeds 0.4–0.5 mm. long, verruculose.
Apparently perennial from a rhizome.