Annual, prostrate-suberect, up to 7.0 cm tall, greyish green-green, fasciculately branched herb. Stem many, branched from base or above, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline, basal leaves bigger than cauline leaves, 0.3-0.65 x 0.2-0.35 cm, indistinctly rosulate, ovate-obovate, margin entire, acuminate, connate at base, and forming a tube with leaf of opposite side, cauline leaves 0.25-0.7 x 0.1-0.2 cm, oblancelate-obovate, margin hyaline, acuminate, connate at base with opposing leaves. Flower infundibuliform, solitary, terminal, erect, 0.5-0.9 (-1.0) cm long, pedicellate. Calyx reaching one third the length of flower, 0.4-0.7 cm long, tube 0.25-0.45 cm long, lobes 0.15-0.35 x 0.075-0.15 cm, lanceolate, hyalined margined, acuminate, sinuses between lobes obtuse. Corolla blue, mostly white, 0.6-1.0 cm long, tube two third the length of lobes, 0.4-0.7 cm long, lobes 0.125-0.I75 cm long, obovate-ovate, obtuse-acute, entire, streaked, plicae bibbed, 0.10-0.125 x 0.04-0.05 cm, ovate, lobes equal, acute. Stamens 5, erect, filaments inserted at base of corolla tube, filiform, unwinged, anthers basifixed. Ovary 0.2-0.4 x 0.1-0.175 cm, lanceolate, stipitate, style prominent, stigma bibbed, papillose, coiled. Nectaries at the base of ovary. Capsule 0.3-0.5 x 0.15-0.225 cm, oblanceolate, opening by pore and then dehiscing septicidally, stipitate, seeds brown, minute, reticulate.

Fl. Per.: May-August.

Syntypes: Described from several specimens collected from Kansu, Tibet, Ladak, Thein-Shan, belonging to Przewalski (K!), Schlagintweit 6536, Stoliczka (LE).

A-4 Chitral: c. 15 km from Mastuj on way to Shandur pass, c. 2600 m, 26.6. 1987, Ghafoor & Omer 3105 (KUH), Barum, S.E. of Tirich Mir, 10000 ft., 29.6.1958, Stainton 2782 (E), B-8 Kashmir: Cashmere-Ladakh, Shey Gompa monastery after Leh, Indus Valley, Ladakh, 3300 m, 8.7.1976, Billiet & Leonard 6846 (K, KUH), Ladakh: Rungdum, 200 m W. of Zuildo, 1980, Southampton University 92 (K), Karakorum, 7.8.1876, Clarke 30151 (K), Tsarup valley, 16100 ft., Stockley s.n. (K), Tsakzun tso, 23.7.1931, Koelz 2413 (E, K), Hanle, Rupshu, 14300 ft., 13.7.1931, Koelz 2305d (E, K), Hemis, Brandis s.n. (K), Thuji, Tso Kar, Rupshu, Ladakh, 15000 ft., 23.7.1941, Ludlow & Sherriff 8516 (E), Spitok, Treaty Road, 10500 ft., 11.6.1941, Ludlow & Shemff 8394 (E), Baltistan: Satpura lake, ± 10000 ft., 25.6.1955, E. Nasir & Webster 5816 (RAW), Balghar, along river Shyok, 20.5.1983, Omer, Nazimuddin & Wahid 919 (KUH), Thalle La, 15-16000 ft., 15.8.1940, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), Matyan, 11000 ft., 12.8.1946, R.R. Stewart 22356 (K).

Distribution: Central Asia, Afghanistan, Chirtal, Kashmir, Nepal, China.

An Irano-Turanian element extending eastwards up to Nepal.

Grossheim (l.c.) has pointed out that Turczaninow had described a form of Ciminalis leucomalaena (Maxim.) Zuyev as forma alba Turcz. on the basis of white flowers. The type forma leucomalaena exhibits bluish flowers. Most of the specimens from our region belong to Ciminalis lecomalaena Maxim. forma alba Turcz.

Grossheim (l.c.) has indicated that type specimen is in LE. But Head Curator of LE pointed out (personnel communication) that type of Ciminalis leucomalaena (Maxim.) Zuyev did not exist in LE. I have only seen the specimen from Kansu collected by Przewalski (K!) which is the isosyntype. It is not indicated by Grossheim (l.c.) that a lectotype is selected there. Till the time being, I am leaving the lectotypification intact.