Asclepias purpurea Pallas, Reise Russ. Reich. 3: 260. 1776; A. davurica Willdenow; Cyathella purpurea (Pallas) C. Y. Wu & D. Z. Li; Cynanchum roseum R. Brown; Cynoctonum roseum (R. Brown) Decaisne; Vincetoxicum purpureum (Pallas) Kuntze.

Herbs erect, to 60 cm tall. Rootstock a fleshy taproot to at least 2 cm thick. Stems few branched, hispid, densely so toward base of young stems, hollow when dry. Leaves opposite, usually grouped at branch apex; leaf blade linear or linear-lanceolate, 1-3 cm × 2-7 mm, sparsely villous, densely ciliate. Inflorescences terminal, umbel-like, often compound, hemispherical, 4-7 cm; peduncle to 5 cm, sparsely villous. Pedicel 5-10 mm, sparsely villous. Sepals lanceolate, 2-4 × 0.7-0.8 mm, pubescent; small basal glands present. Corolla purple, rotate, glabrous; tube ca. 1 mm; lobes linear-lanceolate, 5-10 × 1.5-2 mm. Corona pale, tubular, ca. 2 × gynostegium, 5-6 mm, membranous, marginal teeth 1-1.5 mm. Pollinia oblong. Stigma head cylindric. Follicles compressed fusiform, ca. 7.5 × 1 cm, both ends acute. Seeds oblong, ca. 7 × 3 mm, apex irregularly toothed; coma ca. 1.5 cm, tawny. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jun-Oct.

Montane forests, steppes, sandy ravines. Hebei, Nei Mongol [Korea, Mongolia, Russia].