Rhodiola gelida Schrenk

Main root robust. Caudex many branched, 2-7 cm × 5-8 mm; persistent old flowering stems present, blackening. Caudex leaves scalelike. Flowering stems curved, straw-colored when young, 3-5(-10) cm × ca. 1 mm. Stem leaves alternate, ovate-oblong, 8-10 × 2-5 mm, margin serrulate or subentire. Inflorescences compact, 1-1.5 × 1-2 cm, many flowered. Flowers unisexual, unequally 4- or 5-merous. Sepals linear-lanceolate to oblong, ca. 3 mm, apex subobtuse. Petals yellow, oblong to oblanceolate-oblong, ca. 4 × 1.7 mm, apex obtuse and mucronate. Stamens 8(or 10), 4-5 mm; antepetalous ones inserted ca. 1 mm from petal base. Nectar scales linear to narrowly oblong, 1.2-1.8 × 0.4-0.6 mm, apically irregularly few toothed. Carpels oblong, 5-6 mm, base connate for 1.5-2 mm. Styles ± incurved, short. Follicles red. Seeds brown, ovoid, winged at both ends. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Aug.

Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan].

Grassland slopes, rocks; 2800-4200 m.

Chamaerhodiola gelida (Schrenk) Nakai; Rhodiola fastigiata (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) S. H. Fu var. gelida (Schrenk) H. Jacobsen; Sedum dubium Paulsen; S. gelidum (Schrenk) Karelin & Kirilov.