Acaulescent perennial herb from a short (ca 2.5 cm) vertical rhizome bearing stout fibrous roots; leaves all unlobed or rarely shallowly trilobate; petioles of longest leaves 3-7 cm; leaf blades cordate, triangular-cordate to deltoid with rounded-serrate margins, glabrous; chasmogamous flowers solitary on peduncles generally borne at or slightly above the leaf blades; sepals variable, ovate to lanceolate, the lowest 3-5 mm long and 1-2 mm wide; corolla 0.8-1.5 cm long; petals on different plants varying from nearly white (faintly flushed with violet) to medium purple, lateral petals having few inconspicuous purple veins, spurred petal with prominent and extensive
nectar guides, lateral and upper petals narrowly obovate, spurred petal obovate with long-tapering base, 10-13(-15) mm long including spur, 3-5 mm wide, broadly obtuse to rounded at apex; spurred and upper petals glabrous within, lower lateral petal sparsely bearded with few to several clavate or knob-shaped hairs; cleistogamous flower buds to 3 mm long on peduncles shorter than the leaves; fruit a glabrous capsule. Flowering April to May.