Annual, up to 5.0 cm high, branched herb. Stem branched from base and above, glabrous. Basal leaves 0.8-1.25 x 0.3-0.75 cm, ovate, entire, acute, falling off at flowering. Cauline leaves 0.3-0.8 x 0.2-0.4 cm, lanceolate-ovate, entire, acute. Inflorescence axillary raceme. Flowers solitary, campanulate, on a long peduncle, 0.4-0.75 cm long, peduncle up to 2.0 cm long, calyx subequal, tube much smaller than lobes, up to 0.15 cm long, lobes 0.2-0.4 x 0.1-0.15 (-0.2) cm, ovate, entire, black or dark rimmed, acute. Corolla 0.4-0.9 (-1.0) cm long, tube 0.2-0.5 cm long, lobes 0.1-0.25 x 0.075-0.15 cm, ovate, entire, obtuse, plicae and fimbriae absent. Nectaries epipetalous, 2 each opposing petal lobes. Stamens 5, filaments winged, attached below the middle, anthers sagittate, dorsifixed, bilobed. Ovary lanceolate-elliptic, with a gynophore.

Fl.Per.: July-September.

Type: Habitat in Siberia (Holo-LE, Iso-P!).

B-8 Baltistan: Khardong La, Leh Karakorum trade route, 14500 ft. 19.8.1928, Ludlow 493 (BM); Distribution: U.S.S.R. (Siberia, Central Asia: Kirghis, Altaica, Tarkyt) Mongolia, Pakistan (Kashmir) and Tibet.

An Irano Turanian element.

I have seen one specimen from Bunge’s collection at P, which is possibly the duplicate of the type specimen as the locality on the sheet also corresponds with the original description.