Plants 70-120 cm tall. Leaves 15-30 x 0.5-2.0 cm, puberulous to glabrous, margin usually scabrid. Scape minutely pubescent. Raceme 20-40 cm at anthesis, densely many flowered. Bracts 1-2 cm, lanceolate, median dark vein, margin densely ciliate, tip obtuse to acuminate. Pedicel subappressed to inflorescene axis, 6-12 mm. Perianth tubular, segments pale purple, linear-oblong, c. 1 (-1.5) x 0.2-0.3 cm, 1 green stripe overlaid by 3 brown veins, persistent and reflexed in fruit. Stamens c. 2 mm longer than perianth. Style 7-8 mm longer than perianth. Capsule subglobose, 7-10 mm in diameter, smooth. Seeds 5-6 x 3-3.5 mm, including 1 mm wings.

Fl. Per.: April-May

Type: “Circa lacum Inderiensem deserti transvolgensis a Tauchero et Helmio lecta specimina communicavit amic, Fischer (LE, K).

Distribution: Iran, Afghanistan, Paksitan (Baluchistan), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Russia, Mangolia and China (N. Xinjiang).