珠峰火绒草 zhu feng huo rong cao

Leontopodium himalayanum var. pumilum Y. Ling.

Plant densely tufted, (3-)7-32 cm; offsets sheathed below by many old leaf bases, terminated by loose tuft of few leaves. Offset leaves linear-spatulate, sometimes brown apiculate; cauline leaves linear to linear-lanceolate, 18-70 × 1-4 mm, grayish tomentose, apex acute or subobtuse, less often apiculate. Capitula crowded, (4-)7-12(-20), discoid or disciform; disciform capitula usually all similar, sometimes central one predominantly male and remainder predominantly or entirely female; bracteal leaves lingulate, usually dilated at or near base or sometimes linear-lanceolate, basal half at least of upper surface more densely white or yellowish gray tomentose than leaves or very rarely villous, apex acute to acuminate, outer ones 12-40 × 2-7.5 mm. Synflorescence 3-7 cm in diam. Involucre 5-7 mm in diam.; phyllaries oblong, 3.5-6 × 1-2.5 mm, with black-brown scarious margin. Corolla 3.3-4 mm. Achenes 1.5-2 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; male ovaries always glabrous. Pappus white, ca. 4 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Alpine gravelly slopes, meadows; 3000-5100 m. Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan].