金顶梅花草 jin diang mei hua cao

Stems 1 or 2, ca. 10 cm, with 1 leaf proximally. Basal leaves 6 or 7; petiole 2.5-3.5 cm; leaf blade abaxially greenish, purple-brown punctate, adaxially brown-green, cordate, rarely ovate-cordate, 6-7 × 6-7 mm, base deeply cordate, apex acuminate. Cauline leaf similar to basal ones but smaller, abaxially densely brown punctate, base often with several rusty brown appendages sometimes connate into small lamellae. Flower ca. 1.3 cm in diam.; hypanthium inconspicuous. Sepals oblong, 3.5-4 × 1.8-2 mm, 5-veined abaxially, margin entire, apex rounded-obtuse. Petals white, densely purple-brown punctate on both surfaces, broadly obovate, ca. 6 × 4 mm, 5-veined on both surfaces, base cuneate, margin sparsely and shortly fimbriate, apex rounded. Anthers oblong, ca. 1.8 mm; filaments ca. 4 mm; staminodes deep purple, flat, ca. 1.8 mm, 5-lobed, lobes unequal. Ovary superior, ovoid; style short; stigma 3-lobed, lobes ovate. Capsule unknown. Fl. Aug.

* Shaded and moist places on grassy slopes; ca. 3100 m. C Sichuan (Emei Shan).

In habit, this species most closely resembles Parnassia chinensis var. sechuanensis, which is easily distinguished by its apically 3-lobed staminodes.