Herbs (2-)5-14(-20) cm tall, sparsely to moderately pubescent, rarely glabrous. Root narrowly fusiform-linear, fleshy, base with minute scalelike leaves usually less than 2 mm. Stems solitary from fleshy root then producing a few prostrate or rarely ascending or erect branches, sparsely to densely pubescent with retrorse to spreading trichomes to 0.5 mm, rarely glabrous. Leaves not rosulate; petioles of basal and lowermost leaves (0.3-)0.6-2(-3) cm, gradually shorter upward; leaf blade ovate or oblong, (2-)4-10(-13) × (1-)2-4(-7) mm, gradually reduced in size upward, base obtuse or cuneate, margin entire or repand, apex obtuse or rounded. Racemes densely flowered, elongated slightly to considerably in fruit, bracteate throughout; bracts leafy, smaller than cauline leaves. Fruiting pedicels glabrous or pubescent adaxially, slender, straight or curved, (1.5-)3-10(-20) mm. Sepals oblong, 1.5-3 × 0.8-1.5 mm, persistent, membranous at margin, sparsely ciliolate near apex with trichomes ca. 0.05 mm, sparsely pubescent distally with trichomes to 0.5 mm. Petals white or lavender, obovate or spatulate, 2-6 × (0.5-)0.7-3.5(-4) mm, attenuate to base, apex slightly emarginate. Filaments white or lavender, 1.5-3 mm, dilated at base; anthers ovate, 0.3-0.4 mm. Ovules 4-8 per ovary. Fruit broadly to narrowly obcordate, strongly to slightly angustiseptate, not torulose, (2-)3-5 × (4-)5-7 mm, obtuse or cuneate at base; valves membranous, sparsely to densely puberulent with trichomes to 0.5 mm, rarely subglabrous, often distinctly veined, smooth or tuberculate; replum widely and evenly expanded throughout; septum absent; style slender, (1-)2-3 mm. Seeds 3-8, brown, oblong, foveolate, compressed, 1.2-2.2 × 0.8-1.5 mm; cotyledons accumbent.
* Slopes with dwarf bushes, disturbed alpine meadows, degraded alpine pastures, moist turf, Kobresia turf and cushions, alpine permafrost swamps, damp shingle by rivers, open gravel, slate and schist screes; (3200-)3600-5300 m. Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang.
