51. Rhodiola alterna S. H. Fu, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 17(3): 128. 1979.
互生红景天 hu sheng hong jing tian
Caudex terete, 0.7-1.5 cm in diam. Caudex leaves brown, scalelike, triangular. Flowering stems simple, erect to ascending, 9.5-14(-21) cm. Stem leaves alternate, sessile, oblong, obovate-oblong, or obovate, gradually smaller toward base on stem, 1.5-2.2 × 0.8-1.1 cm, base attenuate and spurless, margin with 2 shallowly incised serrations on each side, mammillate when dry, apex obtuse. Inflorescences corymbiform, somewhat compact, 10-15-flowered; bracts spatulate to oblanceolate, 6-8 × ca. 1 mm. Flowers bisexual, unequally 5-merous. Sepals linear-lanceolate, 4-5 × ca. 1 mm. Petals reddish or white, oblong-ovate, 6-7 × ca. 4 mm, margin basally entire and apically erose, apex acuminate. Stamens 10, shorter than petals; antesepalous ones to 6 mm; antepetalous ones to 3 mm, inserted ca. 2 mm from petal base. Nectar scales suboblong, ca. 0.4 × 0.6 mm, apex emarginate. Carpels erect, lanceolate, ca. 6 mm, base subconnate. Styles ca. 1 mm. Fl. Aug-Sep.
* Forests, forest margins, rock crevices in scrub or on sunny slopes, moss-covered rocks, riversides; 3800-4600 m. NE Xizang.