库叶堇菜 ku ye jin cai

Herbs perennial, acaulescent at first, 2-5 cm tall, later gradually caulescent, to more than 20 cm tall, glabrous. Rhizome slender, with brown remains of scalelike stipules. Stipules ovate-lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 0.8-1 cm × 2-4 mm, apex acuminate, adnate to petioles at base inside, margin densely fimbriate-denticulate; petiole slender, lower ones ca. 4.5 cm, upper ones shorter; blade cordate, ovate-cordate, or reniform, 1-2.5 × 1-2.5 cm, both surfaces with brown glandular dots, glabrous or subglabrous, base cordate or broadly cordate, margin obtusely serrate, apex obtuse. Flowers bluish violet, long pedicellate; pedicels exceeding leaves, to 5.5 cm, with 2 opposite bracteoles near flower. Sepals lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, apex acuminate, basal auricles 2-3 mm, glabrous, margin entire, apex slightly dentate. Upper and lateral petals obovate, throat white, lateral ones distinctly bearded, anterior one oblong, 1.3-1.6 cm (spur included), distinctly veined in throat; spur shorter, ca. 3 mm, horizontally straight or slightly curved upward. Ovary glabrous, often with glandular dots; styles slightly geniculate forward at base, gradually thickened upward, clavate, papillose; beak hooked, with a larger stigma hole curved upward. Capsule ellipsoid, glabrous, apex acute. Fl. Apr-Jul, fr. Jun-Sep.

Forests, sparse deciduous forests, forest margins, alpine grasslands; 400-2400 m. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Nei Mongol [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia].