Anacampseros triphylla Haworth, Syn. Pl. Succ. 111. 1813; Hylotelephium purpureum (Linnaeus) Holub; Sedum purpureum (Linnaeus) Schultes; S. telephium Linnaeus subsp. purpureum (Linnaeus) Schinz & Keller; S. telephium var. purpureum Linnaeus.

Roots numerous, tuberous, carrot-shaped. Stems 1 to few, erect, 20-70 cm. Leaves alternate, sessile distally on stem; leaf blade oblong to oblong-ovate proximally on stem, 2-7 × (0.4-)1-3 cm, base rounded to cuneate, margin irregularly dentate, apex obtuse to acute. Cyme flat topped, dense; pedicels ca. 4 mm. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, ca. 2 mm, base connate, apex acute. Petals extrorsely reflexed from middle, purplish red, oblong-lanceolate, 5-6 mm, apex acute. Stamens subequaling petals; anthers yellow. Nectar scales linear-spatulate, ca. 1 mm, apex ± incised. Carpels erect, ellipsoid-lanceolate. Styles short. Seeds brown, ovoid-ellipsoid, minute. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Sep.

Shady moist places in forests, grasslands on slopes; 400-1600 m. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Xinjiang [Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia; Europe, North America].