YASIN J. NASIR

Plant 4-10 cm high, stems glabrous or with retrorse spreading hairs, leafless, 2-flowered. Radical leaves petiolate, petioles 2-8 cm long, pubescent, blade 2-5 cm wide, round-reniform, sparsely pubescent at least beneath, 3-5 parted to almost about 5-10 mm from base, segments broadly cuneate-obovate, shallowly 3-lobed, with a few rounded ovate-mucronate teeth. Bracts foliose, 3 lobed, hairs sometimes lacking. Pedicel c. 10 mm long, bracteoles 5-7 mm long, oblong-linear, very near to the flowers. Flowers 1-2. Sepals blue, hairy and glandular outside, upper sepal ovate, 15-20 x 10 mm, obtuse, spur straight, 10-11 mm long, 5-7 mm wide at base, obtuse, lateral sepals subelliptic, 14 x 6 mm, obtuse, pubescent along the midline, ciliate, lower sepals ± asymmetrical, 15 x 16 mm, obtuse. Petals dark, c. 10 mm long, limb of upper petal oblique, 10 mm long, apex long-ciliate, bi-dentate, spur 12 mm, lower petals ± oblique, limb oblong, 5 x 2 mm, yellow bearded at base, white and scattered ciliate elsewh ere, claw 6 mm long. Stamens 5-6 mm, glabrous. Follicles 4-5, glabrous or hairy.

Fl. Per.: May-July.

Type: Pakistan: Slopes of Sasser-la, Pamir, 4950 m, 7 Sept. 1906, Lacoste (P).

Distribution: Pakistan, Pamirs.

Resembles Delphinium kohatense but differs in h aving a longer spur.