Roots erect, robust. Caudex short. Caudex leaves scalelike. Flowering stems 10-30 cm. Stem leaves remote, sessile, oblong, elliptic-oblanceolate, or obovate, 0.7-3.5 × 0.5-1.8 cm, base subamplexicaul, margin entire, apically few dentate, or serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences corymbiform or capitate, compact, ca. 2 × 3-6 cm, many flowered. Flowers unisexual, male ones unequally 4-merous. Sepals lanceolate-linear, ca. 1 mm, apex obtuse. Petals greenish yellow or yellow, linear-oblanceolate to oblong, ca. 3 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens 8, longer than petals. Nectar scales oblong, apically slightly narrowed, 1-1.5 × ca. 0.6 mm, apex emarginate. Carpels of female flowers erect. Styles recurved. Follicles lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 6-8 mm, apical beak ca. 1 mm. Seeds lanceolate, ca. 2 mm, winged at one end. Fl. Apr-Aug, fr. Jul-Sep.

Forested, grassy, or rocky slopes; 1800-2700 m. C Gansu, Hebei, Jilin, Shanxi, Xinjiang [Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia; Europe, North America].