Eritrichium microcarpum de Candolle in A. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 123. 1846; Myosotis microcarpa Wallich; Trigonotis peduncularis (Treviranus) Bentham ex Baker & Moore var. microcarpa (de Candolle) Brand.

Herbs perennial, with short rhizomes and caudex and persistent petioles. Stems erect to ascending, 20-60 cm tall, short strigose; branches numerous, short. Petiole of basal and lower stem leaves to 3 cm; leaf blade ovate to oblong, 1.5-5 × 0.5-2 cm, abaxially strigose, with more numerous longer hairs along prominent veins, base rounded, apex mucronate; lateral veins 3 pairs, basal pair arcuate. Inflorescences 2-4 cm, to 18 cm in fruit, short strigose; bracts at base only. Pedicel 3-5 mm in fruit. Calyx lobes lanceolate, 2-2.5 mm, apex acute. Corolla blue-purple; tube ca. 2 mm; throat appendages retuse at apex; limb 4-5 mm wide; lobes divaricate, broadly ovate. Anthers elliptic, ca. 0.6 mm, apex mucronulate. Nutlets dark brown, oblique subulate, trigonous-tetrahedral, 0.8-1 mm, smooth, glabrous, adaxial bottom surface slightly convex, somewhat smaller than 2 equal lateral surfaces; abaxial surfaces convex, ovate, acutely 3-ribbed; carpophore obscure, short.

Hillside meadows, thickets, forest margins, stream banks, valleys; 1000-2800 m. Guangxi, SW Guizhou, S and SE Xizang, NW, SE and W Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Russia].