Saxifraga hirculus Linnaeus var. tafeliana Engler & Irmscher.

Herbs perennial, cespitose, 0.7-4.5 cm tall. Stem simple, brown crisped glandular villous. Basal leaves with petiole 4-9 mm, sparsely crisped glandular villous at margin; leaf blade ovate-elliptic or narrowly ovate to oblong, 4-4.5 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous or margin brown crisped glandular villous, apex obtuse. Cauline leaves 3-10; proximal ones with petiole 2-4.5 mm, margin crisped glandular villous at base; leaf blade ovate to oblong, 3.5-7 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous or margin sparsely brown crisped piliferous; distal leaves sessile, oblong or lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 5.2-7.8 × 1.2-3.2 mm, margin crisped glandular villous. Flower solitary; pedicel brown crisped glandular villous. Sepals erect, elliptic or broadly so to subovate, 2-3.6 × 1-2.3 mm, both surfaces glabrous, veins 3, not confluent at apex, margin glandular ciliate, apex obtuse. Petals yellow, obovate to broadly so or elliptic, 2.3-6.4 × 1.3-4.7 mm, 2-callose near base, 3-5-veined, base with a claw 0.2-1 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens 3-5 mm. Ovary subsuperior, ovoid, 2-2.7 mm; styles 0.5-2 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Alpine scrub meadows, marsh meadows, rock crevices; 4200-4900 m. S Qinghai (Yushu Xian, Zhidoi Xian), Xinjiang, E Xizang (Amdo Xian, Mainling Xian) [Bhutan, Nepal].