房山紫堇 fang shan zi jin

Herbs, glaucous, 15-30 cm tall, with taproot. Stems much branched with condensed lower internodes, with most leaves crowded at base, or with 1 or 2 leaves higher up. Petiole ca. as long as blade; blade ovate-lanceolate, bipinnate; primary pinnae 4 or 5(-7) pairs, petiolulate; ultimate pinnae obovate, 15-20 × 13-20 mm, base cuneate, deeply 3-divided; segments usually slightly 2- or 3-divided. Raceme stalked, sometimes with a basal branch, 7-15(-20)-flowered, 5-10 cm; bracts lanceolate, ca. equal to pedicels. Pedicel 4-5 mm. Flowers white, apex of flower either purplish or white with greenish keels. Sepals orbicular, ca. 2 mm in diam., finely dentate. Outer petals with broad reflexed margins at apex, obtuse to acute, very narrowly crested; upper petal 19-21 mm, spur saccate, ca. 6 mm; nectary extended through ca. 1/2 of spur; inner petals 13-14 mm, with broad crest clearly overtopping apex; claw shorter than limb. Stigma with widely divergent arms. Capsule drooping, linear, 2-3 cm. Seeds in 1 row, reniform, ca. 1.5 mm; caruncle tightly adhering. Fl. and fr. Apr-Jun.

● Rocky slopes; 500-1600 m. Hebei, Henan (Huixian, Linxian, Xiuwu), Shanxi (Jincheng, Licheng, Taihang Shan).

Young plants have comparatively broader and considerably less divided leaves.