Pedicularis tenuicalyx P. C. Tsoong.

Herbs perennial, 8--10(--30) cm tall, drying slightly black. Roots ± fleshy and fusiform. Stems 1--10, unbranched, with lines of hairs. Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3 proximally, in whorls of 4 distally. Basal leaves usually persistent; petiole 1--5 cm, narrowly winged; leaf blade lanceolate to linear-oblong, 2.4--4.4 cm X 1.4--14 mm, pinnatisect; segments 6--9 pairs, ovate, pinnatipartite, incised-double dentate. Stem leaves similar to basal leaves but shorter petiolate. Inflorescences 2--6 cm, interrupted basally; bracts broadly rhomboid-ovate, palmately 3--5-lobed, margin double dentate. Calyx 6--7 mm, membranous, 2/5 cleft anteriorly; lobes 5, unequal, 2/7--2/5 as long as calyx tube, slender, serrulate. Corolla purple-red, ca. 1.7 cm; tube decurved at middle, ca. 1.1 cm; galea ± falcate, rounded in front, longer than lower lip; lower lip barely 4 mm, middle lobe smallest, projecting. Anterior filament pair slightly pubescent. Capsule compressed, lanceolate-ovate, ca. 1.4 cm X 4 mm, obliquely apiculate. Seeds ca. 1.5 X 0.7 mm. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.

Rocky mountain slopes, near summits; 4000--4300 m. N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan].