Annual, usually densely farinose, 5-20(-30) cm; stems thin, erect-ascending, seldom ± procumbent, yellowish to reddish, much branched especially basally, branches mostly ascending. Leaf blade 0.7-1.3 cm, ovate to broadly ovate-triangular-ovate, entire or slightly 3-lobed, margin entire, base short attenuate, apex ± acute. Inflorescence paniculate, mostly fairly compact, terminal and axillary, sometimes laxer on elongated stems and branches; glomerules small. Perianth lobes 5, green, farinose, free almost to the base, slightly keeled on the back. Stamens 5 or 0. Stigmas 2. Pericarp fairly loose. Seeds horizontal, black 1.0-1.2 x 0.9-1.0 mm in diameter, ovoid, margin somewhat acute; testa almost smooth.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: June - October.

Type: [Tajikistan] Declivia ad confluentes Baital et Murgab, 1.XI.1923 H. Raikova (TASH, fragment LE!).

Juniper forest, shrublands, open places. 2200-4820 m; Distribution: Himalayas, Karakoram, N Hindukush, Pamir, Alay, Altay, W Mongolia, W China.

Perianth and seed characters easily differentiate C. pamiricum from small specimens of C. karoi and C. vulvaria.