Bistorta affinis (D. Don) Greene; Persicaria affinis (D. Don) Ronse Decraene; Polygonum donianum Sprengel.

Subshrubs 10-15 cm tall. Rhizomes horizontal, ligneous. Branches densely tufted, terete, herbaceous, glabrous. Basal leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade gray-green abaxially, green adaxially, oblanceolate or lanceolate, 5-10 × 1-1.8 cm, subleathery, both surfaces glabrous, midvein large, base narrowly cuneate, margin revolute, apex acute. Cauline leaves subsessile, smaller; ocrea brown, tubular, ca. 1 cm, membranous, veins numerous, glabrous, apex oblique, not ciliate, usually lacerate. Inflorescence terminal, spicate, erect, dense, large, 3-6 cm, 1-1.5 cm in diam.; bracts ovate, membranous. Pedicels longer than perianth. Perianth purple-red, 5-parted; tepals obovate, ca. 4 mm. Stamens 8; anthers purple. Styles 3, connate at base; stigmas capitate. Achenes included in persistent perianth, dark brown, shiny, ellipsoid, trigonous, ca. 3 mm, base narrowly cuneate, apex acute. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

Grassy slopes, rocky fissures; 4000-4900 m. Xizang [NW India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim].