竞生乌头 jing sheng wu tou

Caudex carrot-shaped. Stem ca. 80 cm, shortly branched, basally glabrous, apically sparsely retrorse and appressed pubescent, or spreading pubescent. Middle cauline leaves shortly petiolate; petiole 2--3 cm, appressed pubescent; leaf blade orbicular-pentagonal, ca. 6 × 6--8 cm, leathery, abaxially glabrous, adaxially sparsely appressed pubescent, base broadly cordate or truncate-cordate, 3-parted; central lobe rhombic, apex acuminate, 3-fid; lateral lobes obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-parted nearly to base. Inflorescence terminal, ca. 24 cm, ca. 7-flowered; rachis and pedicels retrorse and appressed pubescent; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones linear. Pedicels 2--6.5 cm, with 2 bracteoles near middle; bracteoles linear, 5--7 mm, sparsely pubescent. Sepals blue, abaxially appressed or spreading pubescent; lower sepals oblong or narrowly oblong, ca. 1.5 × 0.3--0.7 cm; lateral sepals obliquely broadly obovate, ca. 1.6 × 1.9 cm, adaxially sparsely pilose; upper sepal high galeate or galeate, 2--2.2 cm high, not or distinctly clawed, with a 4--5 mm beak, 1.6--2 cm from base to beak, lower margin curved. Petals ca. 2.5 cm, glabrous; claw ca. 2 cm; limb ca. 1.3 cm; lip ca. 6 mm, 2-lobed at apex; spur slightly circinate, ca. 3.5 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire. Carpels 3, densely appressed pubescent. Fl. Aug.

* 3100--3800 m. NW Yunnan (Zhongdian Xian).