Tauscheria desertorum Ledebour; T. gymnocarpa Fischer ex de Candolle; T. lasiocarpa var. gymnocarpa (Fischer ex de Candolle) Boissier; T. oblonga Vassilczenko.

Herbs 10-45(-60) cm tall, glabrous and often glaucous except sometimes for fruit and pedicels. Stems simple at base, branched above. Basal leaves shortly petiolate, oblanceolate, withered by anthesis, base cuneate, margin entire, apex obtuse. Middle cauline leaves cordate, ovate, lanceolate, or oblong, 1-6(-9) × 0.2-2.5(-4) cm, somewhat fleshy, sessile, base auriculate, cordate, or amplexicaul, margin entire, apex acute or obtuse, rarely acuminate in uppermost leaves. Fruiting pedicels 3-5.5(-8) mm, glabrous or adaxially sparsely pilose. Sepals oblong, 0.9-1.5 × 0.5-0.8 mm. Petals yellow drying whitish, oblong or narrowly spatulate, 1.5-2.5 × 0.4-0.6 mm. Filaments 0.8-1.5 mm; anthers 0.1-0.3 mm. Fruit navicular, semiovoid to semiglobose, (3-)4-7(-10) × (2.5-)3-4 mm, glabrous or densely pubescent with hooked trichomes, base obtuse; beak flat, (0.5-)1-3 mm, apex acute or acuminate. Seeds yellow or yellowish brown, oblong, 2-2.5 × (0.8-)1.1-1.5 mm. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. May-Jul. 2n = 14.

Desert steppes, rocky soil, roadsides, river banks; 400-3800 m. Nei Mongol, Xinjiang, W Xizang [Afghanistan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; SW Asia].