Perennial depressed herb, without aerial stem; rootstock up to c. 1 cm thick and covered below with withered leaf bases. Radical leaves rosulate, oblong-spathulate or oblanceolate, 15-40 mm long, 2-5 mm broad, entire or obscurely toothed, apex rounded, obtuse to acute, glabrous or sparsely hairy with simple hairs. Scapes (pedicel) I-flowered, 1.5-3.5 cm long, many, directly borne on rootstock. Flowers very variable in size, 4-7 mm across, white with violaceous veins on the petals. Sepals 2.5-4 mm long. Petals 4-6 mm long, c. 3 mm broad. Stamens c. 3:4 mm long. Fruits oblong-ellipsoid, 6-8 mm long, 3-4 (-4.5) mm broad, glabrous, unilocular, indehiscent; seeds few, biseriate, small.

Fl. Per.: June -July.

Type: Sikkim Himalaya, 5100 m, J.D. Hooker (K).

Distribution: Endemic to Tibet and Himalayas.