藏东虎耳草 zang dong hu er cao

Saxifraga implicans var. weixiensis C. Y. Wu.

Herbs perennial, (6-)11-50 cm tall. Stem proximally brown crisped pilose or glabrous, distally shortly glandular hairy. Basal leaves caducous, similar to proximal cauline leaves. Cauline leaves 5-13; proximal ones with petiole 1.2-4 cm, brown pilose; leaf blade ovate-cordate, 1.9-4 × 1.5-2.7 cm, abaxially and marginally brown pilose, adaxially glabrous or brown pilose, base cordate, apex subobtuse or acute; distal leaves with petiole gradually shorter to absent, leaf blade ovate-cordate, 1.5-3.5 × 0.5-2.1 cm, abaxially glabrous or subglabrous, adaxially and marginally shortly glandular hairy, base cordate, amplexicaul. Cyme 3-6 cm, 3-12-flowered; pedicels 4-15 mm, shortly glandular hairy. Sepals reflexed, ovate to narrowly so, 2.5-4 × 1.4-2 mm, abaxially and marginally glandular hairy except at apex, veins 3, not confluent at apex, apex suberose. Petals yellow, small orange spotted, elliptic or narrowly so to ovate, 5-8 × 2.3-4 mm, not callose or 6-8-callose near base, 3(-6)-veined, base cuneate-rounded, contracted into a claw 0.4-0.9 mm, apex obtuse or acute. Stamens 4-5 mm. Ovary superior, ovoid, 3-3.5 mm; styles 1-1.6 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 16*, 32*, 48*.

* Forests, forest margins, alpine meadows and rock crevices on slopes; 3500-4200 m. SW Sichuan, E Xizang, NW Yunnan.

Plants from Weixi Xian, in NW Yunnan, have been separated as Saxifraga implicans var. weixiensis on account of its stem being glabrous proximally, but since the stem hairs on this species are known to be glabrescent (Smith, loc. cit.), it seems probable that this very minor variation is related to age or environment.