Stems ascending, diffuse. yellowish brown, appressed tomentose-pubescent Leaves greenish-grey; basal leaves ovate or narrow, ovate-oblong or ternate, lobulate, lobes obtuse, appressed tomentose, petiole 1-3 (-3.4) cm. Cauline leaves similar but narrower and sometimes more divided. Stipule wedged-shaped, 1.5-2 mm long, brown, ciliate. Peduncle 1 -6 cm long, appressed pubescent (1-) 2-3 flowered. Bracts similar to stipules. Sepals 4-6 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate or broad lanceolate, 3-nerved, aristate, margin membranous, pilose or tomentose. Petals slightly longer than the sepals, ovate, cuneate, pink-purple, deciduous, base ciliate. Filaments 3- 4 mm long, persistent, base dilated, glabrous to sparse ciliate; staminodes small, apex with 2-3 arista. Mericarps c. 5.5 mm long, ± conical, with dense erect stiff hairs; pit apical, with a solitary groove. Beak 6-9 cm long, pubescent, dense at flowering, on dehiscence revealing plumose yellow-white hairs; stigmas 5, less than 1 mm long, clavate. Seed 4 mm long, brown, glabrous.

Type: (USSR, Georgia) ‘Habitat in Iberiae orientalis collibus siccus ad Cyrum fluvium (LE)’.

Distribution: Sinai, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, C. Asia, Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Baltistan (in Pakistan).