Pyrola atropurpurea Franch.

Herbs 7–18 cm tall. Rhizome slender, branched. Leaves 2–4, crowded at base of aerial shoots; leaf blade reddish purple abaxially, green adaxially, cordate-ovate, (1–)1.5–3 × (1–)1.2–3 cm, papery, base cordate, margin slightly crenulate, apex obtuse. Scape erect, slender, without scales or 1 or 2 scale-shaped leaves, green-brown, lanceolate, membranous; raceme 2–4(–5) mm, naked or with 1 or 2 minute lanceolate bracts, 2–4-flowered. Pedicel 3–5 mm; bracts ovate, ca. 2 mm. Flowers nodding, cup-shaped, 0.8–1.5 cm in diam. Sepals reddish purple, ovate-triangular, ca. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, apex obtuse. Petals white, oblong-obovate, 5–7 × 3–5 mm, apex obtuse. Filaments glabrous; anthers yellow, ca. 3 × 1.5 mm, tubules present. Style exserted, recurved, 9–11 mm, dilated at apex into ring; stigma thickened, with 5 round lobes. Capsules 5–6 mm in diam. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep.

Gansu, ?Henan, Qinghai, ?Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.

Montane coniferous forests, mixed forests; 1800–4000 m.

Flowering from June to July; fruiting from August to September.

Pyrola atropurpurea is close relative of Pyrola renifolia, but differs from the latter in its leaves cordate-ovate, adaxially green, abaxially purplish red (vs. reniform or reniform-orbicular, adaxially dark green, abaxially light green), margin crenate (vs. sinuate), calyx lobes triangular (vs. suborbicular), bracts ovate (vs. narrowly lanceolate).

Pyrola atropurpurea is occurring in Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan of China.

Herbs 10-15 cm tall. Rhizome slender, branched. Leaves 3-4, crowded at base of aerial shoots; leaf blade reddish purple abaxially, green adaxially, cordate-ovate, 2-3 cm long, 1.2-3 cm wide, papery, base cordate, margin slightly crenulate, apex obtuse. Scape erect, slender, without scales 1-2-scale-shaped leaves, green-brown, lanceolate, membranous; raceme naked or with 1-2-minute lanceolate bracts, 2-4-flowered. Pedicel 3-5 mm; bracts ovate. Flowers nodding, cup-shaped, 1-1.5 cm in diameter. Sepals reddish purple, ovate-triangular, apex obtuse. Petals white, oblong-obovate, 5-7 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, apex obtuse. Filaments glabrous; anthers yellow, tubules present. Style exserted, recurved, 9-11 mm wide, dilated at apex into ring; stigma thickened, with 5 round lobes. Capsules ca. 5 mm in diameter.

Growing in montane coniferous forest, mixed forests; 1500-3500 m.