Parnassia cacuminum Hand.-Mazz.

Stem 1, (4-)7-10 cm, with 1 leaf near apex. Basal leaves numerous, usually 5-7; petiole 1.5-3 cm; leaf blade abaxially greenish, densely brown punctate, adaxially deep green or brown-green, ovate or ovate-cordate, 1-1.5 cm × 8-11 mm, arcuate 5(-7)-veined, base cordate, apex rounded. Cauline leaf sessile, semiamplexicaul, ovate, 5-8 mm, often with several rusty brown appendages at base. Flower 1.1-1.5 cm in diam.; hypanthium shallowly campanulate. Sepals densely purple-brown punctate or indistinctly punctate on both surfaces, broadly oblong or ovate, 5-6 × ca. 3.5 mm, margin entire, apex rounded. Petals white, yellow-green, or whitish green, densely purple-brown punctate or indistinctly punctate on both surfaces, spatulate, 8-9 × 3-4 mm, base cuneate into a short claw ca. 1 mm, margin erose, apex rounded. Anthers oblong, 0.5-1 mm; filaments ca. 4.5 mm; staminodes green, flat, 3-lobed, central lobe slightly longer than lateral ones, lateral lobes truncate at apex. Ovary superior, long ovoid, apex abruptly contracted into a short style; stigma 3-lobed. Capsule unknown. Fl. Jun-Jul.

S Qinghai (Yushu Xian), W Sichuan.

* Moist grassy places in or at margins of scrub, shaded moist places near streams; 3400-4300 m.

Parnassia cacuminum f. yushuensis T. C. Ku.