Perennial herb, mostly 30-100 cm; stems erect, simple or very sparingly branched. Leaves lanceolate-ovate to ovate or elliptic, long-acuminate, to 16 em. Inflorescences of 2 lateral clusters to c. 8 mm. Bracts ovate to triangular-ovate, free or slightly connate. Male and hermaphrodite flowers similar, perianth of hermaphrodite flowers campanulate in fruit, slightly accrescent to at most 3 mm. Female flowers conspicuous, much exceeding bracts, perianth segments indurate and connivent in fruit as in P.judaica, but larger, 2.75-3 mm, more broadly lanceolate, margins and midrib just confluent but not subaristate at apex. Fl. 5-8. Shaded stony ground and forest floors , c. 700-1200 m.

Chiefly N. & C. Europe, extending westwards to Iberian Peninsula and eastwards to N. Iran. Euro-Sib. element.