Sedum multicaule Wall. ex Lindl. in Bot. Register Misc. 26: 58. 1840; Hook.f. & Thomson in J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 2: 102. 1858; C. B. Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 422. 1879; H.Hara, Fl. E. Him. 1: 107. 1966; H. Ohba in H. Hara, Fl. E.Him. 3: 47. 1975; in J. Jap. Bot. 51: 358. 1975; R. R. Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 334. 1972; Grierson in Grierson & D. G. Long, Fl. Bhutan 1(3): 484. 1987; Fu Kunjun & H. Ohba in Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven, Fl. China 8: 244. 2001. (Fig.3, A-G).
Perennial herbs. Small tap root. Stems 6-13.5 cm high, glabrous, erect, usually branching at the base. Leaves alternate, linear, linear-lanceolate, acute, truncate at the base, glabrous, 8-26 x 1-2 mm. Inflorescence a raceme or spike-like. Flower pentamerous, pedicellate, pedicel 1-1.5 mm. Sepals 3-6 x 0.5-2 mm, oblong, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous. Petals 2.5-5 x 1-2.5 mm, yellow, glabrous, lanceolate, acuminate. Stamens 10, in two whorls, basifixed, dithecous, 2-3.5 mm long. Nectar scales square-oblong 0.3-0.5 x 0.2-0.3 mm. Carpels connate at the base, 2-4 x 0.8-1 mm, style short, stigma indistinct. Follicles 5, spreading, star-shaped at maturity, 3.5-5 x 1-1.5 mm. Seeds 24-50 per fruit, obovoid, 0.4-0.8 x 0.1-0.2 mm with minute tubercles.
Fl.Per.: July-September.
Type: Kumaon, 1832, Wallich 7232 (K!).
Grows between 1800-2800 m; Distribution: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Myanmar, China.
Fu Kunjun & H. Ohba (l.c.) recognised Sedum multicaule subsp. rugosum K.T.Fu from Xizang and N.W.Yunnan and differentiated it from the type subspecies on the basis of stem, rugose when dry, sepals sublanceolate to narrowly suboblong, apex spinose-acuminate and nectar scales transversely oblong. Our material agrees with the type subspecies.
