二蕊嵩草 er rui song cao

Kobresia bistaminata W. Z. Di & M. J. Zhong, Acta Bot. Boreal.-Occid. Sin. 6: 275. 1986.

Basal sheaths brown to dark brown. Inflorescence 1-2.5 × ca. 0.2 cm. Glumes pale brown to dark brown, 2-3 mm. Prophylls oblong or oblong-ovate, 2.2-2.8 mm. Nutlets 1.8-2.3 mm (including beak). Stigmas usually 2 (sometimes 3, or both 2 and 3 on same plant). Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.

● Alpine meadows, grassy slopes, among shrubs; 2100-4500 m. Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang.

The frequent bistigmatic tendency found in Chinese plants has not been noted elsewhere in the range of the widespread circumboreal Kobresia myosuroides. A similar tendency (though to a lesser degree) is also found in Chinese K. capillifolia. Further work may confirm that specific rank for the bistigmatic "Greater Tibetan" taxon is more appropriate.