Pedicularis tenera H. L. Li

Herbs perennial, ca. 10 cm tall, slightly pubescent throughout, not drying black. Roots slender, woody. Stems several, dark purple, central stem usually erect or procumbent and ascending, with 4 lines of hairs. Leaves glabrous throughout. Basal leaves few; petiole to 1.8 cm. Stem leaves in whorls of 3 or 4; petiole 5--13 mm; leaf blade lanceolate-oblong to ovate-oblong, 1--2.3 cm X 4--7 mm, pinnatipartite to pinnatisect; segments 4--7 pairs, ovate, incised-dentate. Inflorescences 0.2--8.5 cm, interrupted basally; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones shorter than flowers, broadly ovate, glabrous. Pedicel dark purple, 1.5--10 mm, glabrous. Calyx usually tinged with purple-red, ca. 4 mm, membranous, slightly cleft anteriorly; tube ca. 3 mm; lobes 5, unequal, sparsely purple villous along veins and margins. Corolla purple; tube 9--10 mm, strongly decurved basally, expanded apically; galea falcate, ca. 6 mm; lower lip 6--7 mm, middle lobe ca. 3.5 mm wide, wider than long, lobes ± rounded. 2 filaments pubescent, 2 glabrous. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.

W Sichuan.

* Alpine meadows, screes of limestone mountains; 4400--4600 m.