Annual, glabrous, greyish green-brownish, 2-6 an high herb. Stem absent or abbreviated, diffusely branched from the base, branchees terminating into a flower. Basal leaves rosulatc, 0.3-0.6 x 0.1-0.3 cm, spathulate, or broadly obovate, mucronate, marginate, margin cartilaginous, entire in the marginate section, scabrid in the basal portion, sheathing at base with rosulae of 4(-5) leaves; cauline leaves imbricate, 0.3-0.5(-0.6) x 0.15-0.3 cm obovate-spathulate, recurved, mucronate, marginate, margin cartilaginous, only at half the apical portion, dorsal surface wrinkled, sheathing and adnate at base, shrath up to 15 mm long. Flowers solitary, 1.1-2.5 cm long, pedicellate, up to 1.5 mm long, tubular. Calyx winged, 1.0-1.5 cm long, reddish brown or rust coloured, with margins of light colour, often white; tube almost double the size of lobes, 0.7-1.25 cm long; lobes 0.2-0.3 x 0.075-0.1 cm, lanceolate, acute-acuminate, margin cartilaginous, sinuses between the lobes obtuse. Corolla 1.0-2.2 cm long; tube double the size of lobes or more, 0.7-13 cm long blue; lobes 0.2-025 x 0.05-0.1 cm, ovate, obtuse-acute, entire; plicae half the length of the corolla lobes, oval, dentate, acute. Stamens 5, filaments filiform; anthers basifixed, bilobed. Ovary 0.5-0.8 x 0.1-0.25 cm, lanceolate-broadly lanceolate; style absent or very small; stigma bifid. Nectaries at the base of ovary.

A biregional element belonging to Euro-Siberian and Irano-Turanian re gions.

Ciminalis prostrate (Haenke) Löve & Löve is a difficult species. The range of distribution has also raised difficulties in true identification (see distribution). The true limits between Ciminalis aquatica (L.) Zuyev and Ciminalis prostrate (Haenke) Löve & Löve are very confusing. It can only be separated from Ciminalis aquatica (L.) Zuyev on the basis of more fleshy habit and obtuse calyx lobes.

Type: Nullam Plantulae in scriptis veterum repario menlionem, neque ulli recentiorum ad hunc diem usque innotuiffe constat. Rara habitat in jugis nivosis alpium Kartal & Frosnitz principatus Salisburgensis, longe supra glacialis vanes cum Laserpitio simplici, Astragalo compestri, Swertia carianthiaca & Cynofuro sphaerocephalo: nec insa albi (BM(?), LINN(?), W(?), Illustration E !).

Distribution: Austria, Hungary, Siberia, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran (?), Chinese Turkestan, Pakistan, Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan.