白背须弥菊 bai bei xu mi ju

Aplotaxis auriculata Candolle, Prodr. 6: 541. 1838; Saussurea auriculata (Candolle) Schultz Bipontinus; S. hypoleuca Sprengel ex C. B. Clarke, nom. illeg. superfl.

Herbs 0.4-1.5 m tall, perennial. Stem solitary, 2-5 mm in diam., erect, simple or few branched. Basal to middle stem leaves sessile, obovate, 8-22 × 2.5-10 cm, lyrately pinnately parted, abaxially grayish green and sparsely arachnoid tomentose, adaxially black when dry and puberulent, base auriculate and amplexicaul; lateral lobes 1-3 pairs, obliquely triangular; terminal lobe triangular, large, margin dentate, apex acute. Upper stem leaves usually shortly petiolate; leaf blade narrowly ovate to elliptic, 3-11 × 0.5-5 cm, undivided. Capitula solitary or few, terminal on stem and branches, nodding at anthesis. Involucre broadly campanulate, 2-3 cm in diam. Phyllaries in ca. 5 rows, sparsely pubescent, margin ciliate, apex long acuminate; outer phyllaries narrowly triangular, 8-14 × 1.5-2.5 mm; middle and inner phyllaries narrowly triangular to linear, 12-17 × 1-2 mm. Receptacle bristles 2-5 mm; paleae yellowish brown, subulate, 1.2-1.5 cm, ciliate in distal half. Corolla dark purple, 8-10 mm, tube 3-5 mm, limb 4-6 mm, lobes 1.5-2(-3) mm. Achene blackish brown, cylindric, 3-3.5 mm, 4- or 5-ribbed, apically spinulose, apex with a denticulate crown. Pappus bristles brown, 7-10 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 58.

Mixed forests; 2700-4000 m. S Xizang [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, Nepal].

Saussurea hypoleuca is illegitimate because C. B. Clarke, in the protologue, cited the validly published earlier name Aplotaxis auriculata in synonymy.