Silene tianschanica Schischk.

The type has not been seen by the present authors.

Herbs suffruticose, 30--40 cm tall. Roots robust, multicrowned. Stems densely clustered, erect, basally lignified, solitary or sparsely branched, basally pubescent, apically glabrous. Leaves with short, sterile axillary branches, linear, 3--5 cm × 1--2 mm, both surfaces glabrous, sparsely ciliate at base, base attenuate, slightly clasping, apex acute. Flowers erect, in a racemiform thyrse, with alternate, 1-flowered cymules, slightly nutant at early stage. Pedicel 4--15 mm, slender, glabrous; bracts ovate-lanceolate, 3--3.5 mm, margin membranous, shortly ciliate. Calyx tubular, clavate in fruit, 10--12 × ca. 3 mm, glabrous, slightly inflated above in fruit, longitudinal veins green or violet; calyx teeth broadly triangular-ovate, short, ciliate, apex obtuse. Androgynophore 2--3 mm, glabrous. Petal claws narrowly cuneate, without cilia and auricles; limbs slightly exserted beyond calyx, white, bifid to base, lobes narrowly obovate; coronal scales minute. Stamens and styles exserted; filaments glabrous. Styles 3. Capsule ovoid, ca. 9 × 5 mm. Seeds triangular-reniform, ca. 1.2 mm. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.

N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan].

Stony mountains; 1100--2100 m.