Perennial; stem 10-40-(50) cm high, arising from an orange-brown swollen base, slender or stout, with crisped, glandular hairs. Scale lvs 1-2 cm long, with glandular hairs as on stem, or often lowest scales glabrous; lower scales ovate or oblong-ovate, obtuse to subacute, dense; upper scales lanceolate, acute to acuminate, scattered. Bracts similar to upper stem scales. Calyx 8-15 mm long, deeply divided into 2 lateral segments, each unequally and deeply 2-fid with aristate lobes, with glandular hairs. Corolla 10-17 mm long, with glandular hairs outside, bluish mauve, especially veins, whitish towards base or occasionally all yellow; back of tube fairly evenly curved; upper lip erose, emarginate; lower lip ± equally 3-lobed, erose. Stamens inserted c. 2 mm above base of corolla; filaments ± hairy. Style glabrous; stigma lobes pink to purplish, occasionally yellow. Capsule 6-9 mm long, ellipsoid.