Mertensia pallasii (Ledeb.) G. Don

Herbs perennial, rhizomatous. Stems simple, slender, 20-40 cm tall, thin, glabrous, sulcate. Basal and lower stem leaves petiolate, green, cordate-rounded or cordate-ovate, 4-6 cm, thin, delicate, apex obtuse. Upper stem leaves ± sessile, apex acute. Inflorescences flat topped, small, few flowered. Pedicel threadlike, 4-5 mm, with 1 or 2 small leaves at base. Calyx parted to base, 4-5 mm; lobes linear, apex obtuse. Corolla bright blue, 1.5-1.8 cm; tube ca. 2 × as long as calyx; throat appendages arclike, low, appearing as brackets; limb campanulate, ca. 2/3 as long as tube, divided in upper 1/2; lobes ovate, to 1/2 of limb, apex obtuse. Filaments longer than anthers; anthers linear, 2-3 mm. Style ca. as long as corolla, slightly exserted or not. Nutlets white, ca. 4 mm, reticulate-rugate. Fl. May-Jun.

On shaded cliffs and rocks. NW Xinjiang (Altay Xian) [Kazakhstan, Russia].

Lithospermum pallasii Ledebour, Fl. Altaic. 1: 176. 1829.