Parnassia delavayi Franchet var. brevistyla Brieger ex Limpricht, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 12: 400. 1922; P. appendiculata A. Batalin; P. souliei Franchet ex Nekrassova.

Stems 1-5, 11-23 cm, with 1 leaf near middle or distally. Basal leaves 2-6; petiole 3-14 cm; leaf blade abaxially greenish, adaxially deep green, ovate-cordate or ovate, 1.8-2.5 × 1.5-3.5 cm, 5-7(-9)-veined abaxially, base deeply cordate, apex acute. Cauline leaf sessile, semiamplexicaul, similar to basal ones but usually smaller, base often with several rusty brown appendages sometimes connate into small lamellae. Flower 1.8-3(-5) cm in diam.; hypanthium shallow. Sepals adaxially often purple-brown punctate, oblong, ovate, or obovate, 4-11 × 3-8 mm, midvein conspicuous, margin entire, apex rounded. Petals white, purple veined, densely purple punctate, broadly obovate or oblong-obovate, 1-1.5(-2.5) × 0.5-1 cm, 5-7-veined, base attenuate into a claw 1.8-4 mm, margin shortly fimbriate in proximal 1/3, irregularly erose in distal 2/3, apex rounded. Anthers ellipsoid, ca. 2 mm, connective projected at apex into a lanceolate appendage ca. 5 mm; filaments ca. 5 mm; staminodes flat, 2.5-4 mm, stalk 2.5-4 mm, lamina ca. 4.5 mm wide, 3-lobed, lobes lanceolate or oblong, lateral one often 2-lobulate. Ovary superior, ovoid; style short; stigma 3-lobed, lobes short. Capsule obovoid-globose. Seeds brown, glossy, oblong. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Sep.

* Moist forests, canopy openings in Picea forests, forest margins, grassy slopes, riverside meadows; 2800-4400 m. Gansu, S Shaanxi, N and W Sichuan, NE Xizang, NW Yunnan.