白花梅花草 bai hua mei hua cao

Parnassia aphylla T. C. Ku.

Stem usually 1, 10-20 cm, leafless. Basal leaves 4 or 5; petiole 5-14(-23) cm; leaf blade elliptic or obovate, 1.2-2.5 × 0.8-1.3 cm, 3- or 5-veined with veins prominent abaxially and impressed adaxially, base attenuate, apex rounded. Flower 1.8-2.5 cm in diam.; hypanthium shortly turbinate. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, ca. 8 × 2.5 mm, distinctly 3-veined, margin entire, apex obtuse. Petals white or white-yellow, obovate, ca. 1.4 cm × 7-8 mm, base cuneate into a claw ca. 2.5 × 2 mm, apex rounded or emarginate. Anthers ellipsoid, ca. 1.5 mm; filaments ca. 4 mm; staminodes flat, ca. 3.5 mm, stalk ca. 2.8 × 1 mm, lamina divided for 1/5-1/3 its length into 3 lobes, central lobe linear, ca. 0.6 mm, longer than lateral ones, apex truncate, slightly thickened. Ovary semi-inferior, ovoid; style short; stigma 3-lobed. Capsule unknown. Fl. Aug.

* Scrub, alpine meadows; 3700-4500 m. S Qinghai, W Sichuan, S Xizang (Gongbo'gyamda Xian).