Herbs perennial, (1-)2-8(-10) cm tall, cespitose, scapose. Caudex few to several branched, ultimate branches terminated in rosettes and covered with petiolar remains of previous years. Stems erect, simple or rarely branched, sparsely pubescent basally, glabrous in distal half. Basal leaves rosulate, persistent; petiole 1-5 mm, often ciliate with simple trichomes; leaf blade oblong to narrowly lanceolate, (0.3-)0.5-1.5 cm × 1-3 mm, sparsely to densely pubescent with stellate trichomes 1-4 rays of which with a lateral branch on each side, these sometimes mixed with fewer simple or forked trichomes, base cuneate, margin entire or minutely 1- or 2-toothed on each side, apex obtuse to acute. Cauline leaves 1 or 2, rarely absent or 3, sessile; leaf blade ovate to oblong, 3-12 × 1-4 mm, pubescent as basal leaves, base obtuse, margin entire or denticulate, apex obtuse or acute. Racemes 3-14-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit. Fruiting pedicels (1-)2-5(-7) mm, ascending to erect-ascending, straight, stout, glabrous or rarely glabrescent. Sepals ovate-oblong, 1.4-1.8 × 0.6-1 mm, erect, abaxially sparsely pubescent with simple and forked trichomes, base of lateral pair not saccate, margin narrowly membranous. Petals white, narrowly obovate, 2.5-3(-3.5) × 1-1.5 mm, apex subemarginate. Filaments 1-1.5 mm; anthers ovate, 0.2-0.3 mm. Ovules 12-16 per ovary. Fruit lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, (4-)6-10 × 1.5-2(-2.5) mm, not inflated, latiseptate, not twisted; valves glabrous, not veined, base obtuse, apex acute to subacuminate; style 0.1-0.5 mm. Seeds brown, ovate, 0.9-1.4 × 0.6-1 mm. Fl. and fr. May-Aug.

Draba turczaninowii was first recorded for China in Fl. Xinjiang. (2(2): 119. 1995). Although the present authors have not examined the material on which that record is based, the occurrence of the species in Xinjiang is here confirmed based on Yunatov & Chen 885, 961 (LE).

Mountain slopes, alpine zone. Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia (S Siberia)].