久治绿绒蒿 jiu zhi lü rong hao

Herbs, monocarpic. Taproot napiform, ca. 2 × 1.2 cm Leaves all basal; petiole broadly strip-form, 2-3 cm, near base ampliate to membranous sheath, glabrous or sparsely fulvous setose; blade oblanceolate, 3-5 × 0.7-1 cm, both surfaces fulvous setose, base attenuate to petiole, margin entire or slightly undulate, apex obtuse or rounded. Scape 30-40 cm tall, apically slender, gradually thickened toward base, fulvous and usually reflexed setose, densely so beneath flowers. Flowers solitary on basal scapes. Petals 6, indigo, basally black-purple, obovate to obovate-oblong, 4-4.5 × 2-2.5 cm, margin slightly undulate, apex truncate. Filaments filiform, ca. 1.5 cm; anthers oblong, ca. 1.5 mm. Ovary ovoid, ca. 1 cm, densely rubiginous setose, setae near base several inversely shortly branched; styles terete, ca. 4 × 2 mm; stigmas 4-6-lobed, lobes decurrent. Fruit not seen. Fl. Jul-Sep.

● Alpine meadows; ca. 4400 m. SE Qinghai (Jigzhi).

One of us (Grey-Wilson) has not seen authenticated material of this taxon and so is unable to comment on its status; however, it appears to be very close to Meconopsis sinomaculata, apparently differing in its smaller leaves and flowers and in the linear filaments. As both taxa come from more or less the same area, further investigation might prove that they are one and the same species, in which case the name M. barbiseta would have priority.