簇苞芹 cu bao qin

Pleurospermum sikkimense C. B. Clarke in J. D. Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 2: 702. 1879.

Plants 10–50 cm, essentially glabrous (sometimes scabrescent at base of umbels, rays and around nodes). Stem base ca. 1 cm thick. Petioles slender, 2.5–15 cm, sheath often purple spotted; blade oblong in outline, 5–20 × 2–5 cm; pinnae 3–7 pairs, 9–18 × 7–20 mm, base rounded or truncate, apex acute, green adaxially, often tinged purple abaxially. Umbels 4–15 (–25) cm across; bracts 4–6, 2–3.5 cm, green; rays 4–7, (1.5–) 4–13 cm, stout, to 3 mm thick; umbellules 2–4 cm across; bracteoles numerous, 1–16 × 4–8 mm, 3-lobed, lobes toothed, acute; pedicels 1–3 mm. Calyx teeth purple-black, ca. 0.5 mm. Fruit 3–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm green, apex blackened. Fl. and fr. Jan–Sep(–Oct).

Alpine turf, among rocks and dwarf shrubs, semi-stable screes; ca. 4000 m. S Xizang (Yadong) [Bhutan, E Nepal, Sikkim].

This species is morphologically similar to Pleurospermum bicolor and is possibly closely related.