Herbs perennial, 4-25(-35) cm tall, eglandular, with a woody base, hirsute with simple, spreading trichomes to 3 mm. Stems erect or ascending, branched basally and above, rarely simple, sparsely to densely hirsute. Middle cauline leaves sessile, linear, (0.4-)1.5-3.5 cm × 0.5-3(-5) mm, sparsely to densely hirsute, base attenuate, margin entire, ciliate with spreading trichomes, apex obtuse or subacute. Fruiting pedicels divaricate, straight, stout, (2-)3-5 mm, glabrous or sparsely hirsute. Sepals oblong, 3-3.5 × 1-1.5 mm, often hirsute. Petals lilac, obovate, 6-8.5 × 1.5-2.5 mm, apex rounded; claw 3-3.5 mm. Filaments of median stamens 4-5 mm, united; filaments of lateral stamens 2-2.5 mm; anthers oblong, 1-1.3 mm, apiculate. Ovules 20-40 per ovary. Fruit (2.5-)3-5 cm × 0.9-1.1 mm, glabrous, straight, ascending or divaricate, torulose, flattened, midvein prominent; style 1-3 mm; stigma slightly lobed. Seeds oblong, 1.5-2.5 × 1-1.2 mm, margined or narrowly winged; cotyledons accumbent. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 28.

Gravelly areas; 300-1500 m. Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang [Mongolia].