Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell, Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia Monogr. 5: 65. 1943.

Perennials, 4-12 cm tall. Rhizomes to 1 cm in diam., coarsely rooting from nodes. Petiole short; leaf blade spatulate to ovate, 3-6 cm, black when dry, base tapering, margin serrate or rarely double serrate. Scape brown glandular hairy; spike 1-2 cm. Pedicel 2-3 mm. Calyx 4-6 mm, to 1 cm in fruit; lobes lanceolate to obovate-oblong, upper lobe sublinear, brown glandular hairy. Corolla dark purple, 8-10 mm, outside pubescent; tube abaxially 2-3 mm, adaxially 4-5 mm; lower lip ca. 1/2 as long as upper, 3-lobed, lateral lobes with 2 or 3 small teeth; upper lip hooked, emarginate. Filaments glabrous, anterior 2 ca. 7 mm, posterior 2 ca. 4 mm. Ovary 1-1.2 mm. Style 5-6 X as long as ovary. Capsule narrowly ovoid, 8-10 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sept.

The rhizomes are used medicinally.

Alpine grassland, gravelly areas; 3600-4400 m. W Sichuan, S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim].