唐古特岩黄耆 tang gu te yan huang qi

Hedysarum sikkimense Bentham ex Baker var. megalan­thum H. Ohashi & Tateishi; H. tongolense Ulbrich.

Herbs, perennial, 15-30 cm tall. Stems several, erect to ascending from base. Stipules lanceolate, 0.8-1.2 cm, connate farther than middle. Leaves 8-15 cm, 15-25-foliolate; leaflet blades ovate-oblong, narrowly elliptic, or elliptic, 8-15 × 4-6 mm, abaxially villous, adaxially glabrous. Racemes dense, with many flowers; bracts broadly lanceolate, ca. 2 × as long as pedi­cel; peduncle conspicuously longer than leaves. Pedicel 2-3 mm. Calyx campanulate, 6-8 mm, villous; teeth lanceolate, ± as long as to slightly longer than tube. Corolla pinkish purple; standard broadly obovate, 2.1-2.5 cm; wings as long as stan­dard; keel 3-4(-5) mm longer than standard. Ovary villous. Legume divided into 3 or 5 articles; articles globose to ellip­soid, 4-5 × 3-4 mm, inflated, villous, margin inconspicuous. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 16*.

Alpine meadows, alpine scrub; 3300-4200 m. S Gansu, E Qing­hai, Sichuan, E Xizang, N Yunnan [N Nepal].

This species is a good fodder plant.