Lagotis alutacea W. W. Sm.

Herbs, 6-15 cm tall. Lateral roots numerous, to 12 cm, with few fibrous roots. Rhizomes oblique, to 7 cm, fleshy, unbranched. Stems 1-4, prostrate, diffuse or obliquely ascending. Basal leaves 3-6; petiole 2-5 cm, flattened, base expanded, sheathlike; leaf blade suborbicular, broadly ovate, or broadly ovate-oblong, 2-6 cm, thick, margin entire, obtusely serrate, or crenate. Stem leaves few, short petiolate to subsessile, smaller than basal leaves. Spikes dense, ovoid to oblong, 2.5-7 cm; bracts obovate to ovate-lanceolate, longer than calyx, apex acute. Calyx 4-8 mm, apex of upper side lobed, primary veins 2, reaching lobe apex. Corolla pale-purple, blue, or whitish yellow, 0.9-1.5 cm; tube straight; lower lip lobes 2(or 3), narrowly lanceolate; upper lip lanceolate to oblong, apex entire, notched, or shallowly 2(or 3)-lobed. Anthers reniform. Style included; stigma capitate or 2-lobed. Fl. May-Sep.

SW to W Sichuan, NW Yunnan.

* Alpine grassland, sandy and stony slopes; 3400-5000 m.