黄毛火绒草 huang mao huo rong cao

Herbs, perennial, pulvinate, ca. 2 cm tall. Rhizome slender, short and many branched. Stems numerous, usually shortly branched, with several leaves in middle and rosette leaves at apex, forming a mat of 12-60 cm in diam., entire plant densely brownish yellow tomentose. Leaves obovate or spatulate-ovate, 4-5 × 2-2.5 mm, both surfaces densely brownish yellow tomentose, base narrowed, apex acute. Capitula solitary, heterogamous or dioecious, ca. 5 mm in diam.; bracteal leaves 8-12, obovate, similar to cauline leaves in shape and size but densely covered with distinct brownish yellow tomentum, surrounded by rosette of several cauline leaves, apex acute. Phyllaries lanceolate, 4-4.5 × ca. 1.5 mm, abaxially brownish tomentose, with acute, often lacerate apex of dark brown color. Corolla orange-yellow, ca. 3 mm. Achenes ca. 0.5 mm, shortly pilose. Pappus yellow to brownish yellow, 3-4 mm. Fl. Jun-Jul.

Alpine stony meadows, gravelly slopes, cliffs; 3600-4000 m. NW Yunnan [N Myanmar].

This is a very rare and distinct species.