Seseli depressum (R. H. Shan & M. L. Sheh) V. M. Vinogradova.

Plants 2–5 cm, dwarf, acaulescent, rosette. Taproot 2–6 × 0.8–1.2 cm, undivided. Petioles 0.5–3.5 cm, sheaths narrowly lanceolate; blade oblong, 2–5 × 0.5–1.8 cm, 2-pinnatisect; pinnae 2–4 pairs; ultimate segments linear-lanceolate, 0.3–1 × 0.5–1 mm, base and margins pilose, apex apiculate, glabrous or minutely puberulent. Terminal umbel 4–9 cm across, sessile, appearing as a group of simple umbels, lateral umbels few, smaller, on long peduncles, stout, puberulent; bracts 1–2, usually obscured by leaf rosette; rays 6–10, 1–6 cm, densely puberulent; bracteoles 7–11, acicular, 3–9 mm, very unequal, the largest longer than flowers; umbellules 10–20-flowered; pedicels 1–4 mm, pubescent. Calyx teeth lanceolate, very conspicuous, ca. 1 × 0.4 mm, sometimes ca. 0.5 × fruit. Petals white, costa yellowish, glabrous. Styles 2–3 × stylopodium, reflexed. Fruit oblong or suborbicular, slightly dorsally compressed, 2–2.5 × 1.3–1.5 mm, densely scaly-hispid; ribs filiform, prominent; vittae large, 1 in each furrow, 2 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

This and the previous species have an unusual fruit ornamentation similar to that seen in Stenocoelium. These two species are part of a group of dwarf, high-altitude Himalayan rosette-forming umbellifers that are not easy to identify; see also Cortia, Cortiella, Pleurospermum hedinii, etc.

Two of us (Pimenov & Kljuykov, FOC 14: 129. 2005) treat this as Seseli depressum.

Grassy places, river banks; 3400–4100 m. S Qinghai (Yushu), NW Sichuan (Dêgê), E Xizang (Gonjo).