Pyrola andresii Křísa; P. calliantha var. tibetana (Andres) Y. L. Chou; P. hopeiensis Nakai; P. rockii Křísa; P. rotundifolia Linnaeus subsp. chinensis (Andres) Andres; P. rotundifolia var. chinensis Andres; P. rotundifolia var. communis Andres; P. rotundifolia var. laurifolia Andres; P. rotundifolia var. sphaeroides Andres; P. rotundifolia subsp. tibetana (Andres) Andres; P. rotundifolia var. tibetana Andres.

Herbs (10–)15–30 cm tall. Rhizome long, slender, branched, producing adventitious roots and aerial stems at nodes; caudex ribbed, 15–30 cm, with a basal rosette of crowded leaves and 1 or 2 bracts; bracts brownish, oblong-ovate, sheathing, scales. Petiole 2–5.5 cm; leaf blade purplish and often glaucous abaxially, green adaxially, elliptic or ovate, (2.5–)3–6 × 2–3.5 cm, leathery, base broadly cuneate or suborbicular, margin entire or crenate, apex obtuse or rounded. Scape with 1 or 2 ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate scalelike bracts sheathing at base; raceme 9–13-flowered, 12–16 cm. Pedicel 5–8(–10) mm; bracts ligulate, 6–7.5 mm. Flowers spreading or rarely nodding, rotate, 1.5–2 cm in diam. Sepals ligulate, (3–)5–7.5 × (1.5–)2–3 mm, margin entire, apex often acute. Petals pure white, obovate-elliptic or obovate, 6–10 × 5–8 mm. Filaments glabrous; anthers yellow, (2.1–)2.5–4 × 1–1.4 mm, tubules present. Style ± exserted, light red, 6–8(–10) mm, nearly erect or upper part slightly curved upward, dilated at apex into a ring. Capsule 7–9 mm in diam. Fl. Jun–Aug, fr. Aug–Sep.

Montane coniferous forests, mixed forests; 700–4100 m. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Qinghai, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang.