Onosma micranthos Pallas, Reise Russ. Reich. 2: 734. 1776; Beruniella micrantha (Pallas) K. Z. Zakirov & M. M. Nabiev.

Herbs perennial, 10-15 cm tall. Stems erect, base much branched, glabrous or sparsely hirtellous. Petiole 0.5-2 cm, sparsely hirtellous; leaf blade ovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, 1.5-4.5 × 0.5-1.5 cm, abaxially gray-green, densely hirtellous, hairs discoid at base, adaxially green and subglabrous or sparsely hirtellous, base widely cuneate to rounded, apex obtuse. Cymes scorpioid, terminal and axillary, in large panicles. Pedicel slender, 2-4 mm, to 1 cm after anthesis. Calyx parted nearly to base, 2.5-3 mm, to 5 mm in fruit, sparsely hirtellous; lobes linear to oblong, apex acute. Corolla white, 2.5-3.5 mm, ca. as long as or slightly longer than calyx, base retrorse pubescent outside, glabrous inside; lobes lanceolate, ca. 0.5 mm, included, with a mucro between lobes. Filaments obscure, inserted at middle of corolla tube; anthers ovate-oblong, ca. 1 mm. Ovary ellipsoid, glabrous. Style ca. as long as stigma, ca. 0.7 mm, with many retrorse white hairs; stigma conical, densely white pubescent. Fruit oblong, divided at maturity into 4 1-seeded mericarps; mericarps complanate, linear-oblong, ca. 5 mm, sericeous-cottony. Fl. and fr. Jun.

Dunes and slopes in desert regions. N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Europe].