On morphological and anatomical evidence the Afghan endemic Scaligeria gongylotaxis Rech.f. is shown to be distinct from Scaligeria sens. str. and related geophytic genera. The taxon is considered to be best treated as a separate monotypic genus, here named Gongylotaxis Pimenov & Kljuykov, and the species renamed as Gongylotaxis rechingeri Pimenov & Kljuykov nom. nov.