碱小苦苣菜 jian xiao ku ju cai

Crepis stenoma Turczaninow ex Candolle, Prodr. 7: 164. 1838; Hieracioides stenoma (Turczaninow ex Candolle) Kuntze; Ixeris stenoma (Turczaninow ex Candolle) Kitagawa; Youngia stenoma (Turczaninow ex Candolle) Ledebour.

Herbs 10-50 cm tall, perennial, with a taproot ?and shoot-bearing lateral roots. Caudex with residues of old leaf bases. Stem solitary, erect, mostly unbranched below synflorescence, glabrous, leafy. Basal and lower stem leaves narrowly lanceolate, narrowly elliptic, or narrowly oblanceolate, 3-12[-20] × 0.3-1 cm, often somewhat fleshy, glaucescent, glabrous, base attenuate into a petiole-like portion and semiamplexicaul, margin entire or sinuate-dentate, apex ± acute. Middle and upper stem similar to lower ones but gradually smaller and narrower toward stem apex, margin rather entire. Synflorescence narrowly racemiform, with many capitula. Peduncle wiry, 0.5-2 cm. Involucre brownish green, narrowly cylindric, 8-9 mm. Phyllaries abaxially glabrous; outer phyllaries ovate to lanceolate, longest 2.5-3 mm, apex acute; inner phyllaries ca. 8, midvein subapically often crested, apex acute and ± ciliate. Achene greenish brown, fusiform, 4.5-6.5 mm, apex truncate. Pappus ca. 6 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 16.

Sandy soil in steppes, alkaline areas; 900-1500 m. Gansu, Nei Mongol [Mongolia, E Russia].

All parts of this herb are used medicinally, in particular for treating serious cases of furuncles.