裸堇菜 luo jin cai

Herbs perennial, acaulescent, stoloniferous, or with very short stem, 7-13 cm tall. Rhizome erect, 1-3 cm, ca. 3 mm in diam., conspicuously noded; stolons 1 or several, 10-15 cm, with leaves at top. Stipules free, lanceolate, 1-2 cm, margin remotely fimbriate-dentate, apex acuminate; petiole 2.5-8 cm, wingless; leaf blade ovate, 2-5 × 2.5-4 cm, but smaller on stolons, both surfaces glabrous, base broadly cordate, margin shallowly serrate, apex ± acute. Flowers white, purplish striate and punctate at base; pedicels 2-bracteolate at upper part; bracteoles 6-8 mm. Sepals narrowly ovate, ca. 5 × 2-2.5 mm, basal auricles short, margin denticulate. Upper petals obovate, lateral ones obovate-oblong, ca. 1 cm, inside shortly bearded, anterior one shorter, ca. 8 mm, apex ± acute; spur of 2 anterior stamens acutely angular, ca. 1.5 mm. Anthers ca. 2 mm, appendage of connectives ca. 1.5 mm. Styles geniculate at base; stigmas flat at top, narrowly margined on lateral sides and abaxially, very shortly beaked in front. Capsules unknown. Fl. Apr.

● Mountain thickets, streamsides, riversides; ca. 2700 m. W Yunnan.