Rheum scaberrimum Lingelsheim ex Limpricht.

Herbs short, stout. Stem absent. Petiole of basal leaf purplish red, subterete, 3-10 cm, stout, glabrous or papilliferous; leaf blade purple-red abaxially, dark green or yellow-green adaxially, ovate or broadly ovate-elliptic, 10-20 × 8-15 cm, nearly leathery, both surfaces papilliferous or abaxially glabrous, basal veins 5, base rounded or subcordate, margin entire and slightly sinuolate, apex obtuse. Panicle spiciform; rachis 2-4-branched from tip of rhizome, 10-30 cm, papilliferous. Pedicel ca. 3 mm, slender, jointed at base. Tepals light green, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, outer 3 smaller, 1.8-2 × ca. 1 mm. Stamens subequal to perianth; anthers yellow. Ovary nearly obovoid; stigma large, raised on surface. Fruit oblong-ellipsoid, 8-10 × 7-9 mm, apex rounded or retuse; wings 2.5-3.5 mm wide, with longitudinal vein at middle. Fl. Jun, fr. Aug.

Slopes; 4000-5000 m. W Xizang [Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kashmir, Pakistan, Sikkim].