Cynoglossum uncinatum Bentham in Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts. 1: 34. 1836; C. laxum G. Don; C. roylei Wallich ex G. Don; Echinospermum glochidiatum A. de Candolle; Eritrichium uncinatum (Bentham) Y. S. Lian & J. Q. Wang; Hackelia glochidiata (A. de Candolle) Brand; H. roylei (Wallich ex G. Don) I. M. Johnston; Lappula glochidiata (A. de Candolle) Brand; Paracaryum glochidiatum (A. de Candolle) Bentham & J. D. Hooker.

Herbs perennial, 60-80(-100) cm high. Stems several, clustered, hollow, branched above, sparsely short pubescent. Petiole of basal leaves 25-30 cm; leaf blade ovate to wide ovate, 8-9 × 4-5 cm, short pubescent. Upper petioles of stem leaves shorter than below; leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 5-10 × 1.7-5 cm, pubescent, base cuneate or shallowly cordate or rounded; lateral veins 5-7. Inflorescences at apex of branches, 2-parted, 5-10(-15) cm; bracts absent or basal, 1 or 2 flowers bracteate. Pedicel thin, weak, 2-3(-4) mm, to 6-7 mm in fruit, minutely pubescent. Calyx lobes ovate, ca. 2 mm, pubescent. Corolla blue or bluish purple, campanulate; tube ca. 2 mm, 5-7(-9) mm in diam.; limb ovate to elliptic, 3-3.5 mm; appendages long elliptic, minutely pubescent or not. Stamens at center of tube; anthers oval. Style shorter than nutlets. Nutlets tuberculate; marginal glochids 4-5 mm, glabrous, with 1-1.5(-2) mm barbs, bases confluent into a broad wing. Fl. and fr. Jun-Aug.

Wet slopes, forest understory, between grasslands; 2700-4500 m. S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Pakistan].