Biennial herb up to 70 cm tall. Stem and branches in lower parts hispid or hirsute with spreading white hairs 2-3 mm long, shorter ones with bases arising from a tuberculate base. Basal leaves petiolate to obovate, nervose on the lower surface. Lower cauline leaves generally longer and with shorter petioles, upper leaves gradually reduced in size. Inflorescence at anthesis short scorpioid, elongating in fruit, with fruits 15-20 mm apart. Pedicels reflexed and up to 3 mm long in fruit. calyx lobes ± 2 mm long, oblong, slightly enlarged and spreading in fruit. Corolla blue to bluish-white. Throat scales ± bifid, puberulous. Filaments short, ± attaehed at the middle of the corolla tube. Nutlets ± round to ovate, dorsal area ovate, with sparse to dense erect appendages, sunk or less so, keeled; keel prominent or not; appendages at the margin with bases confluent to form a broad or narrow rim.

Fl. Per.: May-Autust.

Type: Nepaul, Wallich 922 (K).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Kashmir eastward to Nepal, Bhutan.

A variable species as regards pubescence, calyx lobe shape and nature of nutlets. Typically, Cynoglouum glochidiatum has an indumentum of hispid hairs that arise from a tuberculate base, nutlets with a ovate dorsal face, which is ± shallow (i.e. not sunk) and with a prominent keel with fewer appendages and margin of nutlets with appendages that are ± free. These characters to a large extent overlap wild Cynoglouum wallichii G. Don, which is characterised by hirsute parts, the nutlet with a deeper sunk ovate face, a keel that is less prominent with more appendages and marginal appendages of nutlets that form a broad rim. Specimens seen which approach, Cynoglouum wallichii in indumentum but have nutlet characters of an intermediary nature are: M.A. Siddiqi & A. Rahman 26851; E. Nasir & G.L. Webster 6045; Pahlgan July, 1920, R.R. & I.D. Stewart s.n.; M. Nath 267. Specimens with an indumentum like that of Cynoglouum glochidiatum but nutlets of an intermediary nature are: M. Nath 2291; R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18911.

It appears from the specimens observed from Kashmir and eastward, the typical Cynoglouum glochidiatum is more common east of Kashmir where the fruit character that diagnose this species are more pronounced. The species sometimes also shows variation in fruit size.