小花缬草 xiao hua xie cao

Plants 8-45 cm tall. Rhizomes reduced; roots fascicled, clavate, 1.5-2 mm in diam., ± fleshy. Stems solitary, erect, simple. Cauline leaves in 3-5 pairs; petiole of lowermost leaves 1.5-3 cm; blade obovate to elliptic, 1-2 × 0.7-1.5 cm, sparsely pubescent, base rounded, margin coarsely serrate or crenulate, apex obtuse. Middle and upper leaves with shorter petiole; blade lyrate; terminal segment ovate to elliptic, 1-2 cm, margin sparsely serrate or crenulate, apex obtuse or acute; lateral segments much smaller, in 1 or 2 pairs. Inflorescence capitate at anthesis; bracts and bracteoles linear, entire or serrate, subequal to achenes in length. Corolla whitish rose, white, rose-purple, or pink, funnelform, 2.5-3 mm (bisexual) or ca. 1.5 mm (female), glabrous or pilose within; lobes ovate, equal to tube in length. Achenes ovoid-oblong, ca. 2.5 mm, glabrous or partially pilose. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

● Forests, grassy or stony slopes; 3000-4100 m. Qinghai, W Sichuan (Kangding, Qianning, Xiangcheng), Xizang, NW Yunnan.