Erect woody herb from a perennial rootstock, (12–)19–32 cm. high; stem simple or branched, densely pilose, the hairs spreading or ± appressed. Leaf-lamina oblong-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 1.5–6.5 cm. long, 0.7–1.7 cm. wide, apex acute, base cuneate to obtuse, margin lightly crenulate, bristles ± appressed to the crenulations, ± densely setose on both surfaces; midrib and 1 pair of basal longitudinal nerves lightly impressed above, subprominent beneath; petiole 0.5–3 mm. long. Inflorescence terminal, capitate, many-flowered, subtended by 2–4 foliaceous bracts; flowers 4-merous, shortly pedicellate. Calyx-tube (fig. 8/3, p. 28) cylindric-campanulate, 3.5–4.5 mm. long, 3–3.5 mm. in diameter, densely pubescent with a mixture of very short hairs and longer bulbous-based hairs and with a few scattered linear-setose appendages near the mouth; lobes triangular-subulate, 4 mm. long, margin ciliate, otherwise glabrous except for a tuft of setae at the apex; inter-sepalar appendages linear, 1.5–3.5 mm. long, with a tuft of setae at the apex. Petals purple, broadly obovate, 17 mm. long, 15 mm. wide. Stamens 8, markedly unequal or subequal (forma osbeckioides); 4 large stamens with anthers 3.5–4.5 mm. long, free part of connective arcuate, 4.5–5.5 mm. long, bilobed appendage 2 mm. long, filament 3–3.5 mm. long; 4 small stamens with anthers 3.2–4.5 mm. long, connective produced 0.5–1.5 mm., bilobed appendage ± 0.2 mm. long, filament 3 mm. long; forma osbeckioides with anthers 3 mm. long, connective produced ± 0.5 mm., bilobed appendage ± 0.2 mm. long, filament 3 mm. long. Ovary with an apical crown of setae.
