矮生虎耳草 ai sheng hu er cao

Plants many branched, 2-3 cm tall, forming cushions, with buds in leaf axils. Leaves decussate, densely imbricate; leaf blade obovate to elliptic, 2.5-3.4 × 2.5-2.6 mm, leathery, glabrous, chalk glands (2 or)3 on proximal leaves, 1 on distal leaves, bases connate-perfoliate and decurrent, forming a tube 1-2.5 mm, margin cartilaginous glandular ciliate near base on distal leaves, apex obtuse, thickened. Flower solitary; bracts 2, opposite, obovate to elliptic, 2-2.5 × ca. 1.6 mm, leathery, chalk gland 1, margin glandular ciliate near base, apex thickened; pedicel ca. 0.4 mm, glabrous. Sepals 4, erect, ± semiorbicular, 1.2-1.3 × ca. 2 mm, leathery, both surfaces glabrous, veins 5, partly confluent at apex, margin sparsely glandular ciliate proximally. Petals 4, yellowish, obovate to broadly so, 2.1-2.6 × 1.6-2 mm, 3- or 4-veined, base subclawed, margin recurved, apex obtuse. Stamens 8, 0.8-1.6 mm. Ovary inferior, ovoid, with an annular nectary disc; styles ca. 1 mm. Fl. Jun-Jul.

* Alpine scrub, alpine rock crevices; 3000-4100 m. C Gansu (Tianzhu Zhang Zu Zizhixian), E Qinghai (Huzhu Tu Zu Zizhixian), Yunnan.