Bistorta major S. F. Gray subsp. elliptica (Sprengel) A. Löve & D. Löve; Polygonum attenuatum V. Petrov ex Komarov (1936), not R. Brown (1810); P. bistorta var. ellipticum (Willdenow ex Sprengel) Turczaninow; P. bistorta var. nitens Fischer & C. A. Meyer; P. nitens (Fischer & C. A. Meyer) V. Petrov ex Komarov.

Herbs perennial. Rhizomes black-brown, curved, large, ca. 2 cm in diam. Stems erect, 30-60 cm tall, simple, glabrous. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole 5-9 cm; leaf blade elliptic or nearly oblong, 8-12 × 2-3 cm, papery, abaxially sparsely pubescent or glabrous, adaxially glabrous, base broadly cuneate or subrounded, decurrent along petiole, margin entire, apex acute. Cauline leaves shortly petiolate or sessile; leaf blade lanceolate or linear; ocrea brown or greenish, tubular, membranous, not ciliate. Inflorescence terminal, spicate, 2-3 cm, 1.5-2 cm in diam.; bracts brown, broadly ovate, membranous, apex long acuminate, each 1- or 2-flowered. Pedicels longer than bracts, 4-5 mm. Perianth pinkish, 5-parted; tepals narrowly elliptic, 3-3.5 mm. Stamens 8, exserted. Styles 3, connate at base; stigmas capitate. Achenes included in persistent perianth, brown, shiny, ovoid, sharply trigonous, 3-4 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 22.

Mountain slopes, meadows; 1500-3200 m. Jilin, Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia (Far East, E Siberia), Tajikistan].