幽溪紫堇 you xi zi jin

Type: China. Sichuan: Mianning Xian, Lamagetou Nature Reserve, Niuchang above Yele Dam (Yele Xiang, above Liziping Xiang), "mixed forest primarily of Abies and Salix with understory of arborescent Rhododendron-bamboo mixed shrubs, along stream at edge of forest," alt. 2790-3440 m, 10 Jul 2005, D. E. Boufford, J. H. Chen, K. Fujikawa, S. L. Kelley, R. H. Ree, H. Sun, J. P. Yue, D. C. Zhang & Y. H. Zhang 32783 (holotype, UPS; isotypes, A, KUN).

A Corydale stolonifera sepalis multo majoribus petalis exterioribus latis dentatis dorsaliter cristatis differt. A C. barbisepala foliis radicalibus minoribus floribus majoribus longe acuminatis differt.

Herbs, perennial, 20-40 cm tall. Rhizome 1-2 cm, with several coarse roots, producing stolons 5-10 cm × ca. 1.5 mm, laxly branched, sparsely set with fleshy scales or petiolar bases, at 3-10 cm intervals producing new growth with leaf rosette with dense fleshy scales and petiolar bases. Stems 1 or 2 per node, erect, with 1-3 leaves in upper 1/2, sometimes with a long-stalked leaf low on lower part. Radical leaves since long withered at flowering nodes; petiole 4-7 cm; blade glaucous especially abaxially, 1-2 × 1-3 cm, ternate; leaflets shortly stalked, deeply ternatisect; lobes obovate, entire to shallowly cut into obtuse mucronate lobules. Cauline leaves progressively smaller and less divided upward, shortly stalked to sessile, 2-4 × 3-4 cm, ternate; leaflets shallowly to deeply once to twice ternatisect into obovate obtuse lobes. Racemes 8-12-flowered, 3-4 cm; lower bracts like upper leaf, upper oblanceolate, 5-12 mm, entire. Pedicel erect, 8-20 mm. Sepals small or up to 4 × 3 mm, deeply lacerate-dentate. Corolla blue with purplish tint at spur; inner petals white. Outer petals broad, dentate, long mucronate, dorsal crest short, 1-2 mm wide, dentate; upper petal 27-28 mm; spur slightly downcurved, cylindric, ca. 14 mm; nectary ca. 1/2 as long as spur; lower petal with short deeply saccate claw widened to broad rounded dentate long mucronate limb; inner petals ca. 12 mm. Capsule unknown; ovary with 10-15 ovules in basal 1/2; style ca. 2.5 mm. Fl. Jul.

● Along streams at forest margins; 2700-3500 m. Sichuan (Mianning).

Corydalis susannae is similar vegetatively and ecologically to the geographically close C. stolonifera, but its flowers (and probably fruit) are widely different. It bears a close resemblance to C. barbisepala but is easily distinguished from that species by the smaller shortly stalked radical leaves and the larger corolla with much broader and long acuminate outer petals.

The specific epithet is named for one of the collectors, Susan Kelley, of Harvard University Herbaria. It also refers to Susanna of Babylon, wife of Joachim, who, while taking a bath in her secret garden, was spied on by two voyeurs, just as this plant, growing in a secluded stream, was taken advantage of by uninvited botanists.