Perennial dioecious herb. Rhizome elongated, cylindrical 2-3 cm thick. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Flowering stems many on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, fastigiate, old flowering stems persistent, 6-17 cm long, 0.8-2 mm wide. Cauline leaves alternate, sessile, entire, obtuse-acute, glabrous, linear-ovate or narrowly ovate, 6-12 x 1-1.5 mm. Inflorescence terminal, compact corymbose cyme, 6-15 flowered, bracteate. Bracts similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers unisexual or gyno-dioecious, yellow or red, 4-5 merous, pedicel 1-4 mm long. Calyx lobes basally connate, entire, obtuse, glabrous, triangular-ovate or narrowly ovate, 2.5-3.5 x 0.5-1.5 mm. Petals glabrous, entire, obtuse, narrowly elliptic, narrowly obovate, linear-oblanceolate, 3.5-6 x 1-1.8 mm. Stamens 8-10, slightly longer or slightly shorter than the petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous, 3-4.5 mm long, alternipetalous 4-6 mm long. Pistillodes 4-5, 1.5-4 x 0.5-1 mm in male; carpels 5-8 x 1-1.5 mm in female, styles 0.7-1.2 mm long, ovules 12-16 per locule. Nectar scales squarish, 0.6-0.8 x 0.4-0.7 mm. Follicles 6-10 x 2-4 mm. Seeds oblong-ellipsoidal, apex elongated, 1.5-2.5 x 0.3-0.4 mm.

Fl.Per.: June – August.

Type: Sikkim-Kankola, Lama Kangra, alt. 15000 ft., Aug. 21, 1849, J. D. Hooker s.n. (K!).

Grows between 3000-4000 m on rocks, crevices and grassy slopes; Distribution: Pakistan, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, China (Xizang, Yunnan and Sichuan).