褐鞘紫堇 he qiao zi jin

Herbs, perennial, 25-40 cm tall, glabrous. Rhizome with apical leaf rosette from large bulb formed by very fleshy scales and petiolar bases, 15-25 × 15-20 mm. Stems axillary from last year’s bulb scales, erect, simple or branched, with 1 or 2 scattered leaves. Rosette leaves large (early ones smaller but early withering); petiole 10-18 cm; blade glaucous abaxially, triangular, bi- to triternate, 4-9 × 4-8 cm; pinnae petiolulate; pinnules petiolulate or nearly sessile, deeply divided into ovate to oblong mucronate lobules. Lower cauline leaves like rosette leaves, upper leaves smaller and less divided. Raceme dense, ca. 10-flowered; bracts shortly stalked, rhombic, 15-25 mm, deeply pectinate dentate; lower bract sometimes much more divided and to 4 cm. Pedicel erect, straight, 8-15(-30) mm. Sepals 1-2 × 1-2 mm, dentate. Corolla rose; upper petal 28-30 mm, limb rhombic, apex shortly acuminate, abaxial crest broad and short, 2.5-3 mm wide, overtopping apex; spur slightly downcurved, conical, 12-14 mm; nectary ca. 3/5 as long as spur; lower petal shallowly saccate in middle part, base constricted into short claw, distal 1/3 like upper petal; inner petals 12-14 mm. Stigma square, marginal papillae 6; geminate papillae lateral and in basal corners. Capsule (immature) elliptic, to 16-seeded; style ca. 3.5 mm. Fl. and fr. May-Aug.

● Forest understories, among shrubs; 3600-4200 m. N Sichuan (?Lixian, ?Songpan, Wenchuan).