Herbs annual, 13-55 cm tall, sparsely pilose with a mixture of simple and short-stalked, 1-forked trichomes to 1 mm. Stems erect, simple or branched along lower half, longitudinally striate, pilose or glabrescent distally. Basal leaves withered by anthesis. Middle cauline leaves pinnatisect, 1.5-5.5 × 0.5-2.5 cm; petiole 4-13 mm, not auriculate at base; terminal lobe lanceolate or oblong, 0.7-2 cm × 3-7 mm, base decurrent with distal pair of lateral lobes, margin dentate, apex acute or subacuminate; lateral lobes 3-5 on each side of midvein, similar to terminal lobe but smaller. Uppermost cauline leaves with axillary flowers, undivided, much smaller than middle leaves, margin entire or denticulate. Racemes bracteate at least along proximal half. Fruiting pedicels ascending or divaricate, 1-3(-4) mm, straight, slender, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Sepals oblong, 1-1.3 × 0.4-0.6 mm, glabrous or sparsely pilose, not saccate. Petals white, spatulate, 2-2.5 × 0.7-1 mm, base attenuate, apex obtuse; claw shorter than sepals. Median filament pairs 1.5-1.8 mm, lateral pair 1.1-1.3 mm; anthers ovate, ca. 0.2 mm. Ovules (20-)26-36 per ovary. Fruit linear, 1.5-2.5 cm × 0.8-1 mm; valves glabrous or sparsely puberulent; style 0.1-0.3 mm. Seeds brown, oblong, 0.8-1.1 × 0.5-0.6 mm, plump, strongly reticulate, wingless. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.

* Slopes with Picea likiangensis forest, among shrubs and under trees, disturbed alpine meadows, slopes and riparian areas along river bottoms; 3400-4100 m. Qinghai, Xizang.