Annual, glabrous to sparsely pilose herb, (5-) 10-30 cm tall with white hairs on the lower part of the stem. Radical leaves pinnatisect or pinnatifid, (6-) 10-15 cm long, 2-3 cm broad, segments acute to accuminate, ovate, upper leaves sessile, ovate, cordate to almost rounded, amplexicaul, obtuse, sinuate and dentate. Pedicel c. 1 cm long; bracts foliaceous, 10-15 mm long, 10-20 mm broad. Buds narrowly oblong to oblong 1-2 cm long, glabrous to sparsely pilose. Sepals obtrullate-oblong, 8-12 mm long, 6 mm broad, glabrous or sparsely pilose outside. Petals suborbicular-obovate, 12-15 mm long, 12-14 mm broad with slightly undulate margin, orange, with brownish black spots at the base. Stamens many seriate, 10-12 mm long; anther oblong, c. 2 mm long; filaments obscurely winged or dilated throughout their length. Ovary linear-oblong, 8-10 mm long, densely tuberculate; style absent; stigma dome shaped. Fruit linear-oblong, 5-10 cm long, 2-3 mm broad, contorted, rarely arched, covered with smooth conical spine-like papillae, 2 horned at the apex, torulose. Seeds many, oblong cylindrical, 1-1.2 mm in diameter, slightly curved.

Fl.Per. April-May.

Type: N. Iran (LE).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Iran and W. Pakistan.