Corydalis hendersonii Hemsl.

Closely related to Corydalis mucronifera Maxim. and Corydalis boweri Hemsl., but leaf segments neither mucronate nor ciliate. Leaves very similar to Corydalis meifolia Wall., but flowers and spur different and longer, plants very condensed.

A short tufted perennial, 5-8 (?) cm tall, with stout, cylindrical rootstock densely covered with elongated sheathing bases (almost the entire petiole sheathing) of leaves, somewhat fleshy, glabrous, glaucous. Radical leaves glabrous or minutely glandular pilose at margins of the sheathing petiole, 2.5-5 cm long, bi- or subtripinnatisect, including petiole about half as long, segments (pinnae) usually bi-pinnatisect, 1.5-3 cm long, with ultimate segments (lobules) many, narrow, linear, 1-3 (-4) mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, acute to subrounded rarely obscurely mucronate at apex and without a seta or cilium; cauline leaves 1-2 (-3), similar but smaller. Racemes condensed, hardly exceeding the radical or cauline leaves, 5-10-flowered; bracts leaf-like, much dissected, becoming shorter above. Flowers yellow, 16-20 mm long, almost erect, including spur about half as long, straight and somewhat tapering below. Upper petal dorsally not winged but marginally expanded, obtuse; lower petal slightly saccate at base and ± similar to the upper petal lamina. Pedicels about as long or slightly shorter than the spurs. Ovary oblong, glabrous, c. 10-ovuled; style 2-4 mm long, ending in a dilated stigma. Capsule unknown.

Kashmir, Nepal, Tibet.

Distribution: Tibet, Karakorum and Kashmir.

3800-6000 m

Fl.Per.: June-Aug.