Perennial with deeply descending root c. 1-3 cm. diam. near stock. Stems simple or rarely 2-3-branched, stout, striate, margined, 3-4·5-(6) dm. tall. Basal Ivs ∞, rosulate, 5-10-15 cm. × 6-15-20 mm., coriac., us. fleshy, oblong or narrowly oblong-spathulate, 1-3-nerved, obtuse or sub-acute, narrowed to short or long petiole. Cauline Ivs 2-5-(7·5) cm. long, narrow-oblong to narrow-lanceolate. Infl. a terminal compact umbelliform or corymbose cyme 5-15 cm. diam., or occ. much larger; pedicels slender, margined. Calyx us. c. 1/2 length corolla, campanulate to tubular, cut hardly 1/2 way into deltoid-lanceolate or subulate acute to acuminate lobes; sinus broad. Corolla white, 12-20 mm. diam. or more, cut c. ⅔ way into broad-oblong rounded lobes.

Plants biennial, rarely polycarpic, height in flower 60–470 mm. Caudex unbranched, 15–70 mm long. Root branched or unbranched, 1.3–11.3 mm diam. at stem base. Flowering stems terminal only or terminal and lateral with more slender lateral branches from among the rosette leaves, 1–9 per plant, terminal flowering stem 4.2– 10.1 mm diam. at base, green or tinted crimson or purple-black, lateral flowering stems erect, internodes 2–4(–6) pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from near base of flowering stem, halfway up flowering stem, or near apex of flowering stem. Rosette of leaves present and distinct from flowering stem leaves, leaves narrowly elliptic to elliptic or ovate, leaf apex acute to rounded, (15–)40–168 mm long, 5.0–31(–33) mm wide, sometimes tinted crimson or purple-black below or on the petiole, usually flat, sometimes V-shaped or channelled at the petiole, petiole 10–40 mm long, (1.5–)3.0–12.0(–18.5) mm wide at leaf base. Flowering stem leaves ovate, apex acute, sessile. Flowers 7–110 per plant, 11–23 mm long, rarely female. Pedicels (1–)2(–3) per leaf axil, (3–)10–40(–50) mm long, (0.64–)0.9–1.5 mm diam., 0.4–0.8 mm diam. when dry. Calyx 5.2–18 mm long, green or tinted purple-black, crimson, or bronze; lobes 2.9–11.3 mm long, 2.7–6.8 mm wide at base, plane, apices acute, margins smooth or minutely denticulate, hairs at sinuses present or absent. Corolla 11.0–21.2 mm long, white, rarely fl ushed with pink; tube 2.5–12 mm long; lobes 7.5–15.5 mm long, 5.1–10.2 mm wide, hairs below sinus present; nectary 0.7–1.5 mm from corolla base. Filaments 6.4–12.8 mm long from corolla base, 0.8–1.6 mm wide. Anthers (1.5–)1.9–3.2 mm long, anther wall yellow or blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse, rarely introrse at anthesis. Stigma colourless. Ovules 36–68 per ovary. Capsules 12–19 mm long.