Arenaria pentandra Maximowicz, Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg, Sér. 3, 26: 429. 1880, not Dufour (1820), nor Wallroth (1822), nor Turczaninow (1834), nor (J. Gay) Ardoino (1867).

Herbs perennial. Roots compacted, robust, woody. Stems pulvinate, many branched, 20--30 cm, slightly woody, glabrous. Leaves congested; leaf blade subcylindric-subulate, basal ones 2.5--4 cm, cauline ones 1--1.2 cm, base membranous, margin slightly coarsened, apex cuspidate. Cymes terminal, trichotomous; bracts lanceolate, 2.5--3 mm, transparent membranous except at midvein. Pedicel 1--2 cm, glabrous. Sepals 5, lanceolate, 4--4.5 mm, margin broadly membranous, apex long acuminate. Petals 5, white, orbicular, equaling or slightly longer than sepals, apex subtruncate or obtuse. Stamens 5 (also with 5 reduced stamens). Capsule ovoid, enveloped by persistent sepals. Seeds with concentrically ringed tubercles. Fl. Jun--Jul.

Shaded mountain forests; ca. 2400 m. Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Russia].