东川紫堇 dong chuan zi jin

Type: China. Yunnan: Dongchuan Xian, Yinminshan, at cliff bottom, alt. 3700 m, 28 Jul 1985, S. B. Lan 489 (holotype, KUN; isotype, PE).

Herba perennis glabra. Rhizoma horizontale partibus persistentibus valde incrassatis basalibus petiolorum densiuscule instructum. Caules suberecti 2- ad 5-foliati eramosi. Folia basalia petiolata subtus glauca ternata vel biternata, foliolis in lobos oblanceolatos acutos profunde dissectis. Folia caulina superiora sessilia, parva. Racemus subsecundus multiflorus densus. Bracteae infimae ad instar folii summi, bracteae superiores anguste lanceolatae integrae. Corolla azurea. Petala exteriora ecristata, acuta vel breve acuminata. Calcar petali superioris strictum cylindraceum.

Herbs, perennial, (10-)20-30 cm tall, glabrous. Rhizome horizontal, 3-7 cm, with coarse long roots and remnants of petiolar bases, apically with leaf rosette. Stems suberect, simple, with 2-5 leaves. Radical and lower cauline leaves: petiole 7-15 cm; blade glaucous abaxially, 2.5-4 × 2-4 cm, ternate to biternate; leaflets deeply much divided into oblanceolate acute lobes. Upper cauline leaves small, 1-1.5 cm, sessile, grading into lower bracts, biternatisect to palmatisect with larger median lobe. Raceme 12-20-flowered, dense, subsecund, 5-7 cm; lower bracts like upper leaves, middle and upper bracts narrowly lanceolate to linear, 6-9 mm, entire. Pedicel 8-13 mm, thin. Sepals 1-1.5 × ca. 0.5 mm, slightly dentate. Corolla blue, inner petals whitish, darker at tip. Outer petals acute to shortly acuminate, without crest; upper petal 19-21 mm; spur straight, cylindric, 9-10 mm; nectary ca. 3/5 as long as spur, thin; lower petal 11-12 mm, limb ovate, margin dentate, claw narrow with small subbasal pouch; inner petals 10-12 mm. Stigma square; marginal simple papillae: median 2 distinct, lateral diffuse; geminate papillae lateral and on basal lobes. Fruit not seen; ovules ca. 9; style ca. 4 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug.

● Gravelly mountain slopes, clearings, by streams; 3000-3700 m. E Yunnan (Dongchuan).

The specific epithet is based on the geographic locality of the type.