Perennial with branching rhizomes emitting tufts or rosettes of lvs; rhizomes ± 2-3 mm. diam., deep-rooting. Lf-rosettes ± 2-7 cm. diam.; lvs thick, rigid, coriac., glab. or finely puberulous, glaucous to purplish; lamina spathulate to broad-ovate to elliptic, 6-20 × 5-15 mm., on flattened petiole up to c. 15 mm. long; apex obtuse, base rounded to subcordate; margins thickly cartilaginous, almost concealing the minute teeth. Peduncle solitary, 2-4 cm. tall, 1-fld. Fl. erect; calyx glab. or minutely puberulous, lobes erect, linear-oblong, thick, rigid, with cartilaginous margins, 6-12 × 2-3 mm. Corolla sweet-scented, white, flushed pale blue-lilac, c. 12 mm. long, 10 mm. diam., with erect oblong-lanceolate lobes c. 7 mm. long. Style > corolla-tube; filaments expanded and hairless at base. Capsule globose-turbinate, c. 8 mm. diam.

2n = 36

A perennial deep-rooting rhizomatous scree plant with distant rosettes of very thick, glaucous, (sometimes yellowish) sessile leaves, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves 8 × 5—25 × 15 mm, spathulate, obtuse, narrowed to a thick flat petiole; margins entire, thickened, cartilaginous. Scapes 2-3 cm long, stout, glaucous, with 1—3 small bracts, usually simple and stiff. Flower c. 12 mm long, 8—12 mm diameter, lilac, scented. Corolla broadly funnel-shaped, 5-partite, tube c. 5 × 6 mm, lobes c. 7 × 5 mm, enclosed within the large calyx lobes which are thick and coriaceous, glabrous, linear-oblong, obtuse, 6 × 2 to 10 × 3 mm. Capsule glabrous, often glaucous, globose to broadly turbinate, c. 8 × 8 to 10x10 mm. Seeds larger than in other species, 1 mm long, ellipsoid, glossy brown when mature. Insect-pollinated. FL Dec—Jan, FT Jan—Mar.