Perennial dioecious herb. Root robust, vertical, branched. Rhizome subcylindrical to narrowly ovoidal, 2-3 cm wide. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Flowering stems 1-5 in number on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, old flowering stems deciduous, 12-47 cm high, 2-7 mm wide at anthesis. Cauline leaves sessile, coarsely toothed to nearly entire, acute-obtuse, glabrous, triangular or broadly triangular pentagonal-ovate, broadly cordate, 7-32 x 7-14 mm. Inflorescence terminal, dense, compound corymbose, many-flowered, mostly ebracteate. Bract similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers sessile or subsessile, 4-5-merous, unisexual, perigynous. Calyx 2-4.5 x 0.2-1 mm, lobes basally connate, glabrous, entire, obtuse, linear to linear-ovate. Petals glabrous, entire, acute or obtuse in male, round in female, narrowly rhombic-elliptic to oblong, 3.5-6 x 0.5-1.1 mm in male; 1.8-4.5 x 0.5-0.8 mm in female. Stamens 8-10, twice as long as the petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous 5-8 mm long, alternipetalous 5-9 mm long. Pistillodes in male 4-5, 1.2-3 x 0.4-0.5 mm; carpels in female 4-5, 5-6 x 1-1.5 mm, style 0.2-0.6 mm long, marginal placentation, ovules 20-32 per locule. Nectar scales oblong-subquadrate, 0.7-1.5 x 0.3-0.7 mm. Follicles 4-5, 6-8 x 1.5-2 mm. Seeds 20-32 per fruit, ellipsoidal, 1-1.5 x 0.3-0.5 mm.

Fl.Per.: June-August.

Syntypes: In Himalaya occidentali temperata et alpina. Kunawar, Kishtwar et Kashmir, alt 8000-12000 ped., T. Thomson, Lance s.n. (K!), Kishtwar, alt. 12000-14000 ped. T. Thomson s.n. (K!).

Grows between 3000-4300 m on rocky ledges, dry sandy and grassy slopes; Distribution: Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (Kumaon), Nepal, China (Xizang, Xinjiang) and Mongolia.