Glabrous, perennial herb with stout rootstock; stems to c. 80 cm tall, branching towards apex. Lvs 2.5-8 cm × 2-6 mm, linear or narrow-lanceolate, glaucous; apex acute. Infl. long; fls in dense, many-flowered, glabrous racemes, borne on each stem branch. Bracts 1.5-3 mm long, narrow-linear, < or > pedicels at anthesis. Calyx 1.5 mm long, lobed to base; lobes lanceolate or narrow-ovate, obtuse to acute. Corolla 12-15 mm long (including slightly curved spur 5-7 mm long), purple or pink, occasionally lower lip white, spotted purple, and pouch white-bearded; upper lip 3-4 mm long. Capsule 2-4 mm diam., subglobose. Seed 1-1.3 mm long, sharply 3-angled, rugose, black, wingless.