Corydalis alpestris C. A. Mey.

Similar to Corydalis cashmeriana Royle but rootstock a short slender tuber branched below, 2-3 scales present below the lower most leaf and above the tuber, 2-4 scattered cauline leaves.

Corydalis pseudalpestris Popov (in Kom, Fl. U.R.S.S. 7:750. 1937) with racemes only 1-2-flowered, flowers whitish or violet with pedicels only 2-3 mm long (about half as long as the bracts) may not be specifically different from this species, which appears to be very variable.

A small perennial, (3-) 5-15 (-20) cm tall with inflorescence hardly exceeding the leaves level, glabrous, glaucous; rootstock a short, conical scaly tuber, dividing below, with 2-3 short, lanceolate scales between the tuber and the last basal leaf; underground part of the stem branched. Radical leaves 1-2 only, similar but smaller than the cauline leaves. Cauline leaves 2-4, scattered and alternate, ternate with sessile, deeply 3-sect pinnae; lobules or ultimate segments oblong, mucronulate, entire or 2-3 dentate; pinnae c. 20 mm in diam.; lobules 7-12 mm long, 2-3 mm broad; petiole 5-8 cm long, sheathing at base. Racemes 5-8-flowered, congested, bracteate, borne at the same level as leaves; bracts c. 10 mm long, 3-6 (-8) mm broad, obovate or ovate, acute, entire, equalling the pedicels. Flowers 15-18 mm long, bluish rarely violaceous, very rarely whitish. Sepals 1 (-2) mm long, square or oblong with shortly toothed margin, Upper petal shorter than the much upturned, obtuse, slightly incurved spur, shortly acuminate. Capsule 10-15 mm long, c. 5 mm broad, elliptic or narrowly obovate; style 3-4 mm long with dilated curved stigma; seeds c. 1.5 mm in diam.

Distribution: Caucasus, Turkey, C. Asia and Kashmir extending to Alaska.

Fl.Per. June—August.

Corydalis alpestris là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Anh túc. Loài này được C.A.Mey. mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1831.