垫紫草属 dian zi cao shu

Herbs perennial, forming cushions. Leaves alternate, overlapping, crowded, flabellate. Flowers solitary, terminal, thin pedicellate. Calyx 5-parted to base; lobes linear-spatulate, not enlarged in fruit. Corolla campanulate; tube ca. as long as calyx; throat appendages 5; lobes of limb spreading, apex obtuse. Stamens inserted below throat appendages, included; filaments extremely short; anthers ovate, apex obtuse. Ovary 4-parted. Style short, included; stigma capitate. Gynobase low subulate. Nutlets ovate, abaxially orbicular, short pubescent; attachment scar at base adaxially. Seeds vertical; cotyledon complanate.

One species: Bhutan, China, NE India, Nepal.

Lower Taxon

• Chionocharis hookeri (C. B. Clarke) I. M. Johnston