1. Acanthocalyx nepalensis (D. Don) M. J. Cannon, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Bot. 12(1): 12. 1984.
刺续断 ci xu duan
Fertile stems 1-3, 10-50 cm tall, sparsely pubescent above. Rosulate leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, less frequently linear, 10-25 × 0.5-2.6 cm, both surfaces glabrous, base attenuate, sheathing, margins usually setose or spinose, apex acute to acuminate. Cauline leaves 2-4-paired, elliptic to linear-lanceolate, reduced above; lowermost pair often reduced, subovate or spatulate, spineless; uppermost pair densely spiny at base, overlapping but not sheathing. Inflorescence capitate, sometimes with 1 or 2 separate clusters of flowers below primary head; involucral bracts ovate, spinose, concave or folded; involucels sessile, tubular-campanulate, 8-10 mm, outside sparsely villous, apex truncate, villous, with 15 or more irregular spines. Calyx tubular, green below, purple above, or entirely purple, 7-15 mm; tube ca. 1/2 as long as total length of calyx; fissure large, edges villous and dentate-spiny; spines usually 5, irregularly arranged. Corolla pink or purple, slightly zygomorphic, straight or slightly curved; tube 10-25 × 1.5-3 mm, villous; lobes 5, obcordate, 3-4 mm. Stamens 4, included; filaments sparsely villous, inserted at corolla throat. Style longer than stamens. Achenes columnar, 4-6 mm, glabrous or puberulent. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Jul-Sep.
Grassy slopes, alpine meadows; 2800-4200 m. W Sichuan, S and SE Xizang, N Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Nepal].
