Hymenolaena lindleyana Klotzsch in Klotzsch & Garcke, Bot. Ergebn. Reise Waldemar, 150. 1862; Hymenidium nanum (Ruprecht) Pimenov & Kljuykov; Hymenolaena nana Ruprecht; Pleurospermum stellatum (D. Don) C. B. Clarke var. lindleyanum (Klotzsch) C. B. Clarke.

Plants dwarf, near rosette, 5–30 cm. Root long-conic, 3–5 mm across. Stem inconspicuous, elongating in fruit, tinged purple-red, papery remnant sheaths at base. Petioles 3–6 cm, sheaths oblong; blades oblong-elliptic, 3–8 × 0.8–3 cm, 2–3-ternate-pinnate; pinnae short-petiolulate; ultimate segments oblong to linear, 2–10 × 1–2.5 mm, entire, apex obtuse. Umbels 3–5 cm across; bracts 2–4, oblong-ovate, 2–3 cm, shorter than rays, margin purple-red, 1–2-pinnate at apex; rays 4–7, 1–4 cm, unequal; bracteoles 8–12, oblong-ovate or obovate, 5–11 × 4–7 mm, slightly longer than flowers, mid band purple-red, margin broad, white, apex entire or 3-lobed, membranous; pedicels numerous, 4–5 mm, winged. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals broad-obovate, purplish-red, ca. 1.2 mm. Anthers dark purple. Fruit broad-ovoid, purple-red, 4–5 mm; ribs all broadly sinuolate-winged; vittae 2 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Aug.

Alpine grasslands; ca. 4000 m. W Xinjiang, Xizang [NW India, Kashmir, Pakistan].