Patrinia jatamansi D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 159. 1825; Nardostachys chinensis Batalin; N. grandiflora Candolle.

Caudices erect or oblique. Flowering stems 5-50 cm tall. Rosulate leaves narrowly spatulate or linear-oblanceolate; petiole subequal to leaf blade in length; blade 3-25 × 0.5-2.5 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, veins 3, base attenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse. Cauline leaves mostly 2- or 3-paired, lowermost elliptic to obovate, base attenuate into petiole; uppermost sessile, oblanceolate to lanceolate, sometimes sparsely serrate. Capitula 1.5-2 cm in diam.; primary peduncles sometimes elongated; involucral bracts 4-6, lanceolate; bracts narrowly ovate to ovate, subequal to flowers in length. Calyx 5-lobed; lobes semiorbicular to triangular-lanceolate, enlarged in fruit, usually ciliate. Corolla purple-red, pink, or magenta, campanulate, 4.5-9 mm, 5-lobed; lobes broadly ovate to oblong, 2-3.8 mm, outside ± villous, occasionally glabrous. Stamens subequal to corolla in length; filaments villous. Style subequal to stamens in length; stigma capitate. Achenes obovoid, 3-4 mm, partially or uniformly white hispid or glabrate; calyx lobes deltoid to ovate, 1.5-2.5 mm, prominently and reticulately veined. Fl. late Jun-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

Alpine thickets or meadows; 2500-5000 m. SE Gansu, S Qinghai (Maqên, Yushu), W Sichuan, Xizang, N Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Nepal].