Plants to more than 1 m tall, stout, basally with non-reticulate fibers formed from disintegrated sheaths. Leaves cauline, sessile or subsessile, basally clasping; leaf blade broadly ovate-elliptic, 18--22 × 10--16 cm, in apical part of stem lanceolate and much smaller, abaxially densely puberulent, apex obtuse or acuminate. Panicle to 30 cm, with many branches and branchlets, densely many flowered; rachis densely gray pubescent. Pedicel 1--2 mm, shorter than bracts, pubescent. Tepals yellowish green, narrowly elliptic, 1.1--1.2 cm × 4--4.5 mm, narrowed to a stalklike base, margin inconspicuously denticulate, apex subacute or obtuse. Stamens 6--7 mm. Ovary glabrous. Capsule 2--2.5 × ca. 1 cm. Fl. and fr. Aug--Sep. 2 n = 32.

Shaded and moist places in mountain forests; 1500--2000 m. N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia; Europe].