This rare endemic species is confined to the North Staffordshire Moorlands district, were plants are typically found along country lanes on the hillsides and along the valleys near by to the town of Leek.

  Map created using Mapmate 09/2008

Note the hairy stems with slender curved prickles on the angles; the often numerous strongly curved prickles in the panicle; the pink flowers with pink filaments and the hairy anthers.

Plants have recently be seen on the lane by Buckley Farm, Bradnop and at intervals along the lane between Cheddleton to Belmont where Watson presumably collected the type specimen in 1950 now held at the British Museum of Natural History in London.