Plants perennial, 5--15(--25) cm tall. Rhizome erect or creeping, ca. 2 mm in diam. Stems straw-colored, shiny, 1--2 mm in diam., rigid. Cataphylls absent. Basal leaves with sheath auricles inconspicuous; leaf blade lanceolate or involute marginally and subterete, 2--5(--15) cm, abaxially multigrooved, apex acuminate. Cauline leaf often present, borne ca. 2/3 from base of stem; leaf sheath somewhat inflated; leaf blade depauperate, 8--15 mm, apex obtuse. Inflorescences terminal; heads 1 or 2, 2--5-flowered; basal bract leaflike, 1--2 cm, longer than inflorescence; other bracts shorter than inflorescence. Perianth segments blackish brown, lanceolate, 4--6 mm, subequal. Stamens 6; filaments ca. 1 mm; anthers 1.5--2 mm. Style ca. 1.5 mm; stigmas red, 3--4 mm. Capsule chestnut brown, ovoid, ca. 3.2 mm, apex beaked; beak ca. 1 mm. Seeds 2.5--3 mm including 2 appendages; appendages white, caudate. Fl. Aug, fr. Sep.

* Mainly in high mountains; 4600--5300 m. Sichuan, Xizang.