Herbs annual, (10-)14-40(-50) cm tall. Stems branched basally and above. Basal leaves not rosulate; petiole 1-2.5 cm; leaf blade obovate or oblanceolate, (1.3-)2-5(-8) × 0.4-2(-3) cm, margin sinuate-dentate or dentate, often ciliate, apex obtuse or acute. Middle cauline leaves sessile, auriculate, oblong, narrowly lanceolate, or oblanceolate, (0.8-)1.3-4.5(-5.5) cm × 2-15(-17) mm, widest at middle, margin denticulate, ciliate with straight trichomes to 0.3 mm. Fruiting pedicels slender, (4-)6-10(-12) mm, reflexed, forming a straight line with fruit, articulate at both ends. Sepals oblong, 1.5-2(-2.5) × 0.5-0.7 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent subapically with straight trichomes, base of lateral pair slightly saccate. Petals pale purple, narrowly oblanceolate, 3-4 × 0.8-1.2 mm. Filaments 1-2 mm; anthers ovate, 0.3-0.4 mm. Fruit ovoid or narrowly oblong, 5-9(-11) × 1.5-2.2(-3) mm, pointed downward, terete or slightly 4-angled, constricted at middle when more than 1-seeded, base subrounded, abruptly narrowed into a beaklike apex 0.5-1.5 mm. Seeds yellow, oblong, 1.6-2.4 × 0.9-1.3 mm. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jun-Aug.

Goldbachia pendula is recorded here for the first time from China. The record from Gansu is based on Przewalski 282 (LE), that from Nei Mongol on Przewalski s.n., 10-22 May 1879 (LE), that from Qinghai on Boufford et al. 26892 (A, MO) and Ladygin 164 (LE), that from Xinjiang on Anonymous 1-170 (PE 1394154), and that from Xizang on Ladygin 350 (LE).

Deserts, high plateaus, rocky hillsides; 400-4200 m. Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Xizang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan].