Rhodiola tibetica (Hook. fil. & Thoms.) Fu

Perennial dioecious herb. Rhizome massive, basally cylindrical, up to 10 mm wide. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Flowering stems many on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, fastigiate, old flowering stems persistent, 7-25 cm long, 1.5-2 mm wide. Cauline leaves alternate, sessile, entire, obtuse-acute, glabrous, oblong, oblong-ovate, 5-13 x 2-4 mm. Inflorescecne terminal, many-flowered, compound cyme. Bracts similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers unisexual, 4-5 merous, pedicel 1-3 mm long. Calyx lobes basally connate, entire, apex obtuse, glabrous, linear-lanceolate, linear-subulate, 2-3 x 0.5-1 mm in male; 3.4-4.2 x 0.5-1 mm in female. Petals glabrous, entire, obtuse, oblong, 2-4 x 0.7-1.5 mm in male; 2.3-3.2 x 0.7-1.5 mm in female. Stamens 8-10, longer than the petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous 1.7-2.5 mm long, alternipetalous 2.5-3.5 mm long. Pistillodes 1.2-3 x 0.3-1 mm in male; carpels 5-9 x 1-1.5 mm in female, style indistinct. Nectar scales oblong, 0.8-1.2 x 0.4-0.8 mm. Follicles 8-10 x 3-4 mm, seeds 10-16 per fruit, 1.5-2.5 x 0.4-0.5 mm, ellipsoid, apex round, brown.

Caudex short to long; persistent old flowering stems few, present as remnants. Flowering stems to 30 cm, basally usually finely papillate. Stem leaves linear to narrowly ovate, 5-9 × 1.5-4 mm, base broadly triangular, margin entire or dentate, apex long acuminate and awn-shaped. Inflorescences corymbiform, compact, 2-2.5 cm in diam., many flowered. Flowers unisexual, unequally 5-merous. Sepals suboblong, ca. 1 mm. Petals purple to red, elliptic-lanceolate, 2-4 mm. Stamens 10, subequaling or somewhat longer than petals. Nectar scales subquadrangular, ca. 0.6 mm, apex emarginate. Carpels erect, lanceolate, 4-5 mm, apex ± recurved. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Sep.

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China (S. W. Xizang).

SW Xizang [Afghanistan, India, Pakistan].

Fl.Per.: June – August.

Grows from 3000-4800 m on rocks and hilly slopes.

Stony slopes on sides of ravines; 4100-5400 m.

Sedum tibeticum J. D. Hooker & Thomson, J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 2: 96. 1858; Chamaerhodiola stracheyi (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Nakai; C. tibetica (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Nakai; Sedum quadrifidum Pallas var. tibeticum (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Fröderström; S. stracheyi J. D. Hooker & Thomson; S. tibeticum var. stracheyi (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) C. B. Clarke.