Plants 3–5 cm. Rootstock slender, 2–10 × 0.2–0.3 mm, often swollen at nodes. Stems 1–2, sometimes tinged purple, unbranched or occasionally 1-branched. Basal petioles 1–1.5 cm, sheaths narrowly lanceolate, tinged purple; blade triangular in outline, ca. 8 × 7 mm, trifoliolate; leaflets 3-lobed; ultimate segments 1–1.5 × 0.5–1 mm. Cauline leaves 1–2, palmate. Umbels 9–18 mm across; bracts absent or occasionally 1, linear, apex 3-lobed, leaf-like; rays 2–3, 5–8 mm; bracteoles absent; umbellules 4–6 mm across, 3–10-flowered; pedicels 1–2 mm. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals purplish-red or white, entire. Fruit ovoid-ellipsoid, ca. 2 × 1.4 mm (mature fruit unknown). Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

Brushy alpine meadows, limestone rock crevices; 3200–4500 m. SW Sichuan (Daocheng, Muli, Xiangcheng), SE Xizang (Cona, Mêdog), NW Yunnan (Gongshan) [Bhutan].