Plagiobasis sogdiana Bunge, Beitr. Fl. Russl. 361. 1852; Russowia crupinoides C. Winkler.

Herbs 20-60 cm tall. Stem erect, branched from base or above middle; branches slender. Leaves thin. Basal leaves spatulate; leaf blade lanceolate, base attenuate into a long petiole, margin entire or denticulate. Lower stem leaves lyrate or pinnatisect; lateral segments 2-5 pairs, oblong to linear; terminal segment longest. Middle and upper stem leaves diminished, sessile, pinnatisect; segments often thickened at apex; lateral segments 1-3 pairs, linear, 3-30 × 0.3-1 mm. Capitula few to many. Involucre cylindric to ovoid-cylindric, 3-8 mm in diam. Phyllaries green with purple tinge, 3- or 5-striate, apex obtuse; outer and middle phyllaries ovate to elliptic, 2-3.5 × ca. 2 mm, margin narrow and membranous; inner and innermost phyllaries elliptic-lanceolate to elliptic-oblanceolate, 6-10 × 2-2.5 mm. Florets few. Corolla ca. 1 cm, sparsely villous above middle. Achene yellowish brown, narrowly ellipsoid, 3.5-4 mm, sparsely white sericeous. Pappus elements white, 5-7 mm, serrulate. Fl. and fr. Jun-Oct.

Deserts; 800-1000 m. Xinjiang (Junggar Pendi, Tian Shan) [Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].