Low perennial, from multicipital caudex; stems ascending, 10-15 cm high, finely retrorsely grayish puberulent, becoming glandular in the inflorescence; basal and lowest stem leaves usually withered at anthesis; stem leaves 5-8 pairs, linear, acuminate, 1-1.5(2) cm long, 1-2 mm broad, largest near middle of stem, finely glandular-puberulent, especially near the inflorescence; inflorescence few-flowered, often a single terminal flower, or one or two flowers developing from lower nodes; calyces 21-23(28) mm long, tubular, slightly constricted below, glandular-pubescent, 10-nerved, the lobes 2-4 mm long, membranous-margined and ciliolate; corolla scarlet, the claws glabrous, about 22 mm long, gradually and uniformly widening to 3-4 mm at top, scarcely auriculate, but abruptly narrowed to blades, blades about 8 mm long, bilobed 1/6-2/3 length, the lobes entire or rather deeply crenate, appendages located at least 1 mm above base of blade, 1-1.5 mm long, oblong, rather deeply crenate-lacerate; filaments well exserted; styles 3, exserted 2-4 mm; ovary one-celled. Flowering July and September.