Acantholimon diapensioides Boiss.

Shrublets, densely pulvinate. Cushions 30--70(--120) cm wide. Branchlets very slow growing; current year's branches very short, inconspicuous, with only a few densely appressed leaves. Leaf blade usually pale glaucous, lanceolate to linear, 1.5--4(--5) X 0.6--0.9 mm, subcomplanate in cross section, glabrous, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences without a rachis; spikelets (1 or)2 or 3, clustered in leaf axils or at base of current year's branches, 1- or 2-flowered; bracts broadly ovate, ca. 3 mm, glabrous, apex acute; first bractlet 4.5--5 mm, glabrous, apex acute. Calyx 5--6.5 mm, tube sparsely velvety between ribs or glabrescent; limb white or pale rose, glabrous, apically 10-lobed or almost truncate, veins dark purple and not reaching lobe apices. Corolla light red.

SW Xinjiang [Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan]

Grassy slopes; 2700--4800 m.