Statice eximia Schrenk in Fischer & C. A. Meyer, Enum. Pl. Nov. 1: 13. 1841; Goniolimon orthocladum Ruprecht; Limonium eximium (Schrenk) Kuntze; S. eximia var. turkestanica Regel; S. speciosa Linnaeus var. crispa Regel.

Herbs 5--70 cm tall. Petiole margin wide, green; leaf blade oblanceolate, lanceolate, or obovate, (3--)5--14(--16) X (0.6--)1--3.5(--5) cm, thin, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences capitate or conical, main rachis stout, sometimes with thick crisped wings; branches 1--5, thick, short; spikes with (3--)7--11(--13) spikelets; spikelets 3--5-flowered; bracts ovate-oblong, 8--9 mm, apex cuspidate; first bractlet similar to bract but apex 1--3-cuspidate. Calyx 7--8 mm, tube 1.2--1.5 mm in diam., lobes irregularly dentate, veins purple and reaching to or extending beyond middle of limb. Corolla light purple. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Jul-Sep.

Statice speciosa var. lepidota Regel is not included in synonymy because the variety appears to be based on more than one taxon. Collections from the Selimu Lake area may be Goniolimon speciosum, but those from Tian Shan may be G. eximium.

Further study is needed as to whether Goniolimon orthocladum should be in synonymy under G. eximium or recognized as a distinct species.

Grassy slopes; 1400--2700 m. Xinjiang (Tian Shan to NW Xinjiang) [Kazakhstan, Mongolia]