天山软紫草 tian shan ruan zi cao

Lithospermum tschimganicum B. Fedtschenko, Izv. Bot. Sada Petra Velikago V, 1: 42. 1906; Macrotomia tschimganica (B. Fedtschenko) Popov ex Zakirov; Ulugbekia tschimganica (B. Fedtschenko) Zakirov.

Herbs perennial. Roots without purple dye. Stems several, not branched, 15-30 cm tall, pubescent. Petiole of basal leaves 4-10 cm; leaf blade oblanceolate, 8-15 × 2-4 cm, pubescent, base attenuate, margin entire, apex acuminate; stem leaves sessile, elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, base clasping. Cymes not branched; bracts lanceolate, ca. as long as flowers. Flowers heterostylous. Pedicel very short. Calyx ca. 8 mm at anthesis; lobes lanceolate to subulate, 6-8 mm. Corolla yellow, funnelform, 1.5-2 cm; limb ca. 8 mm wide. Anthers ca. 1.5 mm, apex obtuse. Style 2-cleft, each branch with 1, 2-cleft stigma. Nutlets unknown. Fl. Apr-May.

* Meadows, slopes, thickets, river marshes; 1000-2000 m. W Xinjiang

The stigma in Arnebia tschimganica was originally described as entire which, coupled with the pollen type, places the species in Lithospermum. On the basis of habit, long tubular corolla, and minutely 4-lobed stigma, the species was placed in different genera, including the monotypic Ulugbekia.