Saxifraga lychnitis Hook. fil. & Thoms.

Herbs perennial, 3-15 cm tall, cespitose. Stem simple, purple, dark purple glandular hairy. Basal leaves aggregated into a rosette; leaf blade spatulate, 1.1-1.5 cm × 4.2-4.5 mm, both surfaces and margin glandular villous, apex obtuse. Cauline leaves with petiole ca. 2 mm (on proximal leaves); leaf blade oblong, 9-10 × ca. 3.1 mm, both surfaces and margin glandular hairy, apex subobtuse. Flower solitary or cyme 2-flowered, nodding especially in bud; bracts oblong, ca. 8 × 2 mm, dark brown glandular hairy, apex subobtuse; pedicels ca. 3 mm, dark purple glandular hairy. Sepals erect, narrowly ovate to oblong, ca. 5 × 2 mm, subcarnose, abaxially and marginally densely dark purple glandular hairy, veins 3, not confluent at apex, apex obtuse or acute. Petals yellow, oblong, 8.5-9 × 2.6-2.7 mm, not callose, 3- or 4-veined, base with a claw 0.7-0.8 mm, apex retuse. Stamens 3.3-4.5 mm. Ovary semi-inferior, ca. 4 mm; styles ca. 1.8 mm. Fl. Jul-Sep. 2n = 16.

Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), S. Tibet.

E Qinghai (Caka), W Sichuan (Daocheng Xian). S Xizang [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim].

4400-5600 m

Wet alpine meadows; 4300-5500 m.

Hirculus lychnitis (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Losinskaja.