Echinospermum microcarpum Ledebour, Fl. Altaic. 1: 202. 1829; E. oligacanthum Ledebour; E. stylosum Karelin & Kirilov; Lappula microcarpa var. heterogenea X. D. Wang & C. J. Wang.

Herbs annual or biennial, erect. Stems much branched above middle, 20-45 cm tall, white strigose. Basal leaves forming a rosette, withered in fruit; leaf blade oblong, 3-4 cm, base attenuate, apex obtuse; stem leaves linear, 2-3 cm × 2-4 mm, flexed along midvein, gray-white hispid, hairs discoid at base, margin spreading ciliate. Inflorescences terminal on branches, elongated in fruit; bracts linear. Fruiting pedicel erect, ca. 2 mm. Calyx 5-parted; lobes linear, ca. 3 mm, not enlarged in fruit. Corolla light blue, campanulate, ca. 5 mm; tube slightly longer than calyx; limb ca. 4.5 mm wide; lobes ovate-orbicular. Style surpassing nutlets 0.8-1.5 mm. Nutlets ovoid, 2.5-3 mm; adaxially granulose, sometimes with 2 rows of glochids below; disc narrowly ovate, granulose, center line keeled and with short glochids; marginal glochids in a single row, 0.8-1 mm. 2n = 22, 24.

Sunny slopes, low mountain canyons; 700-2500 m. N Xinjiang, S and SE Xizang [Afghanistan, N India, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; SW and W Asia].