Perennial dioecious herb. Root long slender. Rhizome thick, elongated, 1-3 cm wide. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Winter bud conspicuous, ovate to narrowly ovate. Flowering stems 2-10 on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, 6-10 cm high, 0.5-1 mm wide at anthesis, old flowering stems persistent. Cauline leaves alternate, sessile, entire, obtuse, glabrous, linear, linear-elliptic, 3-8 (-12) x 0.6-1 mm. Inflorescence terminal, dichasium, 1-5 flowered, bracteate or ebracteate. Bracts similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers unisexual, 4-5 merous, pedicellate, hypogynous. Calyx 2-3.5 x 0.5-1.2 mm, lobes basally connate, entire, obtuse, glabrous, linear-ovate. Petals glabrous, entire, obtuse, oblong-elliptic, 2.5-3.5 x 0.8-1.7 mm. Stamens 8-10, as long as or slightly longer than petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous 1.7-2.5 mm long, alternipetalous 2.5-4 mm long. Pistillodes 1.5-3.5 x 0.2-0.8 mm, style indistinct. Carpels 4-6 x 1-1.5 mm, style indistinct, ovules 3-6 per locule. Nectar scales oblong or narrowly oblong-triangular, 0.3-1.3 x 0.3-0.5 mm. Follicles 3-6 x 0.8-1 mm. Seeds 3-6 per fruit, ellipsoidal, apex round, 1.5-2 x 0.4-0.8 mm.

Fl.Per.: June-August.

Type: Siberia, Ural, Sochond, Pallas s.n. (LE).

Grows from 2500 – 3000 m on rocks, crevices, moraine and stony slopes; Distribution: Pakistan, Kazakstan, China (Xinjiang), Russia, Mongolia (Fu Kunjun & H. Ohba, l.c.).