Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 6–15 cm. Stems 1–3, prostrate, decumbent, or erect, leafy proximally and distally, 1/2–2/3 subterranean, glabrous or puberulent, on caudex from usually vertical, subligneous rhizome. Leaves basal and cauline; basal: 1–3; stipules adnate to petiole, forming 2 linear-lanceolate wings, margins entire or sparingly lacerate, apex of each wing free, acuminate; petiole 3.5–13.5 cm, densely short-puberulent; blade purplish abaxially (often dark purple-veined), grayish adaxially with prominent whitish veins (from dense hairs), usually orbiculate to broadly ovate, sometimes reniform, thick, 1–3.5 × 1.1–3.3 cm, base attenuate or truncate, margins entire, ciliate mostly on proximal half of blade, apex acute to obtuse, mucronulate, surfaces densely short-puberulent; cauline similar to basal except: stipules deltate to lanceolate, apex acute; petiole 1.9–3.4 cm; blade ovate or elliptic to deltate, 0.7–3.1 × 0.6–2.2 cm, length 0.7–1.9 times width, base usually attenuate, sometimes subcordate, margins entire, ciliate. Peduncles 1.7–6.6 cm, pubescent. Flowers: sepals linear-lanceolate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 0.5–1 mm; petals deep lemon-yellow adaxially, upper 2 usually conspicuously reddish brown to brownish purple abaxially, lateral 2 streaked or solid reddish brown, lower 3 and sometimes upper 2 dark brown-veined proximally, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 8–13 mm, spur usually reddish brown, sometimes yellowish, gibbous, 0.4–2 mm, glabrous or scabrous abaxially; style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary. Capsules spherical, 4.5–9 mm, puberulent. Seeds black, 3.4–3.5 mm. 2n = 12.
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