草地百蕊草 cao di bai rui cao

Herbs perennial; rhizomes terete, ca. 5 mm thick. Stems ascending, slender, 3-5 cm, furrowed, base yellowish white. Leaves dense, oblong-lanceolate, 15-18 × 2.5-3 mm, both surfaces deep green, 3-veined, base gradually narrowed and decurrent, apex acute. Inflorescences racemelike, with few or no branches, 1 flower per axil; bracts at base of pedicels, oblong-lanceolate, sometimes leaflike, ca. 10 mm, 1-veined; pedicel filiform; bracteoles 2, leaflike, ca. 3.5 mm. Perianth 5-merous, ovoid, 4-5 × ca. 3 mm, usually divided to middle, lobes linear, ca. 3 mm, apex obtuse, incurved. Stamens 5, ca. 2 mm; filaments short and flat. Ovary stalk thick and short, ca. 1.5 mm. Style terete, ca. 3.5 mm; stigma pale yellow, capitate. Fruit not seen. Fl. May.

* Grassy alpine marshlands; ca. 4000 m. Xizang.

The type collection, from Nyalam Xian, is of an immature plant; fruiting material is needed to assess the relationships of this taxon.