Linum altaicum Ledeb. ex Juz.

Perennials 30-60 cm tall. Roots sturdy. Stems several, caespitose, erect, glabrous, branched above middle, base woody. Leaves densely alternate, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2-2.5 cm × 2-2.5 mm, glabrous, 3- or 5-veined from base, apex acuminate to acute. Flowers several in sparse cymes. Pedicel longer than leaves, erect. Outer sepals broadly ovate to elliptic-ovate, 5-7 × ca. 2 mm, apex acute; inner sepals with margin membranous, apex obtuse. Petals blue to bluish purple, obovate, ca. 3 × as long as sepals, base attenuate into a claw, apex rounded to retuse. Stamens ± as long as styles. Capsule yellowish brown, subglobose, 6-7 × 4-5 mm. Seeds oblong, ca. 4 × 3 mm. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Jul-Aug.

Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia (W Siberia), Tajikistan].

Mountain meadows, flat or sparse thickets; 600-4000 m.