An erect perennial herb 30 cm or more tall. Rootstock often staining purple. Stem solitary or many, branched; branches densely covered with retrorsely appressed hairs; hairs 1.5-2 mm long, with tuberculate bases. Basal leaves 16-30 x 4-15 mm, lanceolate to oblanceolate; cauline leaves smaller and narrower. Pedicels short, in flower up to 4-12 mm in fruit. Calyx lobes 3-4 mm long, oblong, retroresly hairy, up to 7 mm in fruit. Corolla purplish-blue or violet blue, 4-5 mm long; tube cylindrical, campanulate to funnel-shaped, c. 4 mm long; limb with ± patent lobes; style 2.5 mm long. Nutlets 5-7 x 4-5 mm, margin broadly winged; wings rugulose, incurved, irregularly dentate on inner margin. Dorsal middle area smooth or with a few glochidiate appendages or carinate.