小叶垂头菊 xiao ye chui tou ju

Stem solitary, erect, ca. 7 cm tall, ca. 1 mm in diam. at base, with rosette leaves, proximally glabrous, distally white and black pilose. Basal leaves 2, petiolate; petiole purplish brown, to 6 cm, glabrous, base sheathed; leaf blade ovate, 1.5-1.7 × ca. 1 cm, glabrous, pinnately veined, base cuneate, margin entire, slightly revolute, apex rounded. Stem leaves 3, proximal one a scale; middle one petiolate; petiole purplish red, glabrous, ca. 1 cm, base enlarged, sheath amplexicaul; leaf blade ovate; distal one linear, white puberulent. Capitulum solitary. Involucre hemispheric, 8-9 × ca. 15 mm, outside densely white and black pilose; phyllaries 10-12, in 1 row, base united and cupular; separate part narrowly lanceolate, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, apex acute. Ray florets yellow; lamina narrowly oblong, ca. 15 × 3-5 mm, extending from involucre. Tubular florets numerous, yellow, 6-7 mm; tube ca. 1.5 mm. Achenes (immature) 2-3 mm. Pappus white, as long as tubular corolla. Fl. Jul.

● Gravelly areas on mountains; 4800-5000 m. SE Xizang.