Cushion evergreen, commonly loose, 15-40 cm diam. Leaves glaucous or greenish-glaucous, 3-5 cm x 0.1-0.2 cm. Flower stalks hardly exceeding the leaves, simple or weakly apically branched. Spikes terminal, subspherical, large, to 4-6 cm. Spiklets 2 to 5-flowered. Flowers white or pink. V - throughout the season, new growth from early spring till late summer. Fl - May. Fr - June. P - by seed. Requires a sunny position. Z 6 (5). New.

Central Asia (mountains of Turkmenia) and Iran. On rocky slopes and shallow soils at 600-1,800 m.