Perennial dioecious herb. Rhizome massive, basally cylindrical, up to 10 mm wide. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Flowering stems many on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, fastigiate, old flowering stems persistent, 7-25 cm long, 1.5-2 mm wide. Cauline leaves alternate, sessile, entire, obtuse-acute, glabrous, oblong, oblong-ovate, 5-13 x 2-4 mm. Inflorescecne terminal, many-flowered, compound cyme. Bracts similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers unisexual, 4-5 merous, pedicel 1-3 mm long. Calyx lobes basally connate, entire, apex obtuse, glabrous, linear-lanceolate, linear-subulate, 2-3 x 0.5-1 mm in male; 3.4-4.2 x 0.5-1 mm in female. Petals glabrous, entire, obtuse, oblong, 2-4 x 0.7-1.5 mm in male; 2.3-3.2 x 0.7-1.5 mm in female. Stamens 8-10, longer than the petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous 1.7-2.5 mm long, alternipetalous 2.5-3.5 mm long. Pistillodes 1.2-3 x 0.3-1 mm in male; carpels 5-9 x 1-1.5 mm in female, style indistinct. Nectar scales oblong, 0.8-1.2 x 0.4-0.8 mm. Follicles 8-10 x 3-4 mm, seeds 10-16 per fruit, 1.5-2.5 x 0.4-0.5 mm, ellipsoid, apex round, brown.

Fl.Per.: June – August.

Type: Tibetica occidentalis alpina (Kunawar ad Warang), alt. 12-16000 ft., Thomson 1867 (K!).

Grows from 3000-4800 m on rocks and hilly slopes; Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China (S. W. Xizang).