密花乌头 mi hua wu tou

Caudex unknown. Stem 1.5--2 m, branched, sparsely pubescent. Middle cauline leaves slightly long petiolate; petiole ca. 6 cm; leaf blade orbicular-pentagonal, ca. 10 × 14 cm, both surfaces appressed pubescent, 3-sect; central segment rhombic, apex acuminate, subpinnately parted, lobules narrowly triangular to linear; lateral segments obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-parted nearly to base. Inflorescence ca. 20 cm, densely many flowered; rachis and pedicels spreading pubescent and intermixed glandular pubescent; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones linear. Pedicels 1.5--5 cm, with 2 bracteoles at middle or above; bracteoles linear. Sepals white or blue-purple, abaxially glabrous; lower sepals ca. 1.2 cm; lateral sepals ca. 1.4 cm; upper sepal galeate, distinctly clawed, ca. 1.7 cm high, sharply beaked, ca. 1.6 cm from base to beak, lower margin oblique upward, concave. Petals pubescent; lip ca. 5 mm, slightly concave; spur incurved, ca. 1.5 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire or 2-denticulate. Carpels 3, glabrous. Fl. Aug--Sep.

* Abies forest margins; ca. 3700 m. W Sichuan.

After publication of the treatment for the FOC, this taxon was treated as dubious by LUO Yan & YANG Qiner (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 43 (4): 385. 2005).