Densely or laxly caespitose perennial. Stems woody at the base, seven usually branched, ascending, 7-20 cm; pubescent-villous. Leaves 3-10 x 1-1.5 mm, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous or ciliate, acute, sometime spiny tipped; prominently 1-nerved. Sterile shoots with leaf fascicles arising from the leaf axils. Flowers solitary or in 3 to few-Dowered cymes. Sepals 3-4 mm. lanceolate, acute, glabrous, with scarious margins. Petals about 1/3 shorter than the calyx (c. 1/2 the length). Capsule 2-seeded. Seeds tuberculate.

Fl. Per.: July.

Type: Described from N.W. India, Badrinath, Edgeworth (K).

Distribution: E. Siberia, N. Pakistan, eastward to W. Kashmir, Tibet, W. China.

An alpine plant of gravelly and stony habitats growing at 3000 m or more. A specimen from Chitral, S. Barum Glacier (I. I. Chaudhri 26) may belong here to material is inadequate.