Herbs perennial. Stems basally branched, 5-15 cm, smooth or rugose when dry. Leaves alternate, imbricate; leaf blade linear, 1-1.5 × 0.1-0.2 cm, base shortly spurred, apex acuminate and apiculate. Cymes with several scorpioid branches. Flowers sessile or very shortly pedicellate, unequally 5-merous. Sepals linear, linear-lanceolate, sublanceolate, or narrowly suboblong, unequal or equal, 5-6.5 mm, base spurless, apex acuminate and apiculate or spinose. Petals yellow, oblong-ovate, 5-6 mm, apex long mucronate. Stamens 10, slightly shorter than petals. Nectar scales spatulate-quadrangular or transversely oblong, minute, ca. 0.5 × 0.5 mm, apex emarginate. Carpels initially erect, horizontally spreading in fruit. Follicles 4-6 mm. Seeds ovoid, 0.5-0.7 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

Rocks on forested slopes, rock crevices, rock walls; 1300-3500 m. Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim].