短花枝子花 duan hua zhi zi hua

Stems erect or ascending, minutely hispid. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, to 3 × 1.4 cm, adaxially minutely hispid, abaxially pilose, lateral veins in 5-7 pairs, base rounded to subcordate, margin crenate-dentate, apex acute to subacute. Verticillasters in spicate capitula ca. 3 cm; bracts ± leafy, margin ± entire; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 6-11 mm, apex acute, glandular hispidulous. Calyx minutely hispid, glandular, 2-lipped nearly to base, tube ca. 1 mm; upper lip ca. 6.5 mm, teeth lanceolate, ca. 3.5 mm, apex acuminate. Corolla purple, minutely hispid; tube ca. 1 cm, throat dilated; upper lip with lobes subcircular, ca. 2 mm; lower lip 3-lobed, middle lobe ca. 3 × 4.5 mm. Fl. Jul.

* Alpine grasslands; ca. 4000 m. Xizang (Mt. Everest?)

Of uncertain affinity; related to Dracocephalum heterophyllum in the original description but clearly different from it.