美丽棘豆 mei li ji dou

Oxytropis trichosphaera Freyn.

Herbs, 3-7(-9.5) cm tall, acaulescent, arising from a multi­headed caudex, caespitose, densely gray pubescent. Stipules with a lanceolate-triangular and ca. 3 × 2 mm free part, scari­ous, pubescent, adnate to petioles only at base. Leaves (1-)1.5-6 cm, 5-9(-15)-foliolate; petioles and rachis with spreading tri­chomes; leaflet blades linear to lanceolate-oblong, (3-)5-10 × 1-3 mm, both surfaces densely white pilose. Racemes 1-3 cm, compact, many flowered; peduncle 2.5-7.5 cm, as long as or longer than leaves, with white fine trichomes; bracts triangular, 3-5 × 1-2 mm, with appressed trichomes. Calyx broadly cylin­dric, not inflated, (4.5-)6-8 × 2-4 mm, with spreading dense white trichomes; lobes subulate, (2-)3-4 × ca. 0.5 mm, sub­equal to tube. Corolla purple, rose-red, or violet; standard (6-)7-9 mm, lamina orbicular, apex rounded to emarginate; wings lamina obovate, 6.5-8 mm; keel subequal to wings, beak (0.3-)1 mm. Legume shortly stipitate; body ovoid, (4-)6-8 × 2-3(-5) mm, sometimes enveloped by calyx or sometimes splitting calyx, with dense whitish long trichomes. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Jun-Jul.

Sandy areas, alpine gravelly areas; 3800-4300 m. Xinjiang, Xi­zang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].