This species was known to science for 170 years before it was resurrected from long term cryostorage (see Brief Summary). First reported in 1842, it has been measured and described in meticulous detail by scientists in several countries. The description below was translated in 1968 by the Israel Program for Scientific Translations, from the original Russian work from 1936:

"Perennial, densely matted; stems numerous, erect, 5-22 cm long, simple,

glabrous; radical leaves numerous, oblong-linear, long-petioled, 1.5 cm

long including petiole, 1-2 mm broad, sparingly ciliate; cauline leaves

similar but smaller, at base dilated and connate in pairs; flowers in a

racemose inflorescence or solitary at tips of stems; pedicels 10-15 mm

long; bracts herbaceous, abruptly attenuate from a broad base, ciliate;

calyx inflated, 10-15 mm long and 5-9 mm broad, glabrous, with broadly

triangular obtuse or acutish teeth; petals light pink, one and a half times

as long as calyx; limb cleft to below the middle into obovate lobes; coronal

scales none; capsule ovoid, 9-10 mm long; carpophore pubescent, 3-4 mm

long; seeds reniform, striate, ca. 1.5 mm long. July - August. (Plate XXXVIII,

Figure 2).

Stony slopes, coastal cliffs, and sandy seashores. -Arctic: Arc. Sib.,

Chuk., An.; E.Siberia: Lena-KoL; Far East: Ze. -Bu., Okh., Sakh. Gen. distr.

Ber., Arc. Am. Described from Arctic Siberia. Type in Leningrad; cotype

in Berlin."