Erect to diffuse perennial herb, very variable in stature and leaf segmentation, (5-) 10-30 (-40) cm tall, often minutely or obscurely glandular-pilose, ± glaucous, simple to sparingly branched, with 0-2 (-3) cauline leaves only and many radical leaves, rootstock often stout, slender, branched, densely covered with withered, sheathing leaf bases. Radical leaves (5-) 10-20 (-25) cm long, including petiole about half as long, bi- or subtri-pinnatisect, sometimes 4-5-jugate with terminal lobe (pinnae) often slightly larger and densely lobulate, the lower or lateral pinnae somewhat distant and smaller, pinnae 10-25 mm long, ovate to suborbicular, sessile, subsessile or very shortly petioluled, with shallowly to deeply dissected pinnules or lobes into many lobules (ultimate segments), often in threes, lobules or ultimate segments very variable, obovate, oblong-obovate to suborbicular, (2-) 4-10 mm long, 1.5-4 mm broad, apex usually subobtuse or subrounded, minutely mucronate. Cauline leaves reduced, subsessile, pinnatisect with narrow lobules. Racemes often dense and congested but becoming lax in fruit, 3-10 cm long, usually 15-30-flowered, rarely branched below, bracts (5-) 10-15 mm long, 2-8 mm broad, entire to segmented (generally lower) elliptic to broadly lanceolate, often covering the flower buds. Flowers yellow usually with darker tips, 15-20 mm long, including spur about half or less than half as long, straight to slightly down-curved, slightly broad. Sepals 1-2 mm in diam., ± denticulate at margins, white membranous. Upper petal conspicuously dorsally winged, obtuse, margins expanded membranous, wings sparsely denticulate to entire, lower petal similarly winged as the upper, saccate at base. Pedicel 10-15 mm long in fruit, deflexed. Capsule (10-) 12-15 mm long, 2.5-3 mm broad, oblong, cuneate below, ± obtuse at apex, style 2-4 mm long, curved at the apex with broad stigma, seeds 8-10, sub-biseriate, 1.5 mm in diam., shining black.

Fl. Per.: June-Aug

Type: C. Asia, Soongaria, Schrenk (LE).

A-7 Chitral, Khot an, 4300 m., 1.7.58, Stainton 2848 (BM), Ock Anzog, 3600 m., 12.7.50, P. Wendelbo (RAW), Madaglast, Toppin 759 and 805 (K), Karakorum, Bainthor, Hartmann 581 (RAW), Gilgit, Giles (K), B-8 Kashmir, Baltistan, Burji la, Meebold 2999 (mixed) (K), Ishkuman, Aghost, c. 4500 m., 16.8.54, F. Schmid 2420 (RAW), Rupshu, Puga, along dry torrent, W. Koelz 2161 (RAW), Ladak, Bragnag, W. Koelz Al29 (RAW), Nur la or Lamayaru, Ladak, W. Koelz A72 (RAW), Above Bragnag, Ladak, 5000 m., W. Koelz 2764 and 2801 (RAW) , Baltistan, Deosai plains, or rocks, R. R. Stewart 20219 (RAW), Burzil Chowki, Chota Deosai, R. R. Stewart 20001 (RAW), Lalpir, 4500 m, mountain peak, among gravels, flowers gold with greenish glands, fragrant, 10.8.36, W. Koelz 9518 (RAW), Burji pass, R. R. Stewart 20145 (RAW), Deosai plains, 16.8.66, Siddiqui, Y. Nasir & Zafar Ali 4140 (RAW), Satpura nulla, R. R. Stewart 20213 and 20361 (RAW), Satpura la, R. R. Stewart 20206 (RAW), Burzil, W. Koelz 9384 (RAW), Satpura pass, above Skardu, R. R. Stewart 20201 (RAW), Satpura nullah, R.R. Stewart 20354 (RAW), Satpura pass, north slope, R.R. Stewart 20243 (RAW), Kamri pass, R. R. Stewart 18707 (RAW), Naltar, Gilgit, 4000 m, R. R. Stewart 26469 (RAW), N. E. Gilgit, Raja Bashir s.n. (RAW) , Rupshu, W. Koelz 2161 (RAW).

Distribution: C. Asia (Tianshan, Pamir Alai), Kashmir, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This species was misunderstood by Hooker f. and Thomson (l.c.), and thus was described as Corydalis moorcroftiana by them. A very polymorphic species in stature, size and segmentation of leaf, but fairly constant in flower and fruit characters. Lax to congested leaf segments, sometimes reduced, bracts entire to dissected show continuous variation and no good taxonomic characters. Corydalis Onobrychis Fedde, and Corydalis onobrychoides Fedde, are just short robust, minutely pilose and lax glabrous forms of this species respectively, but integrating forms are many.