Cardamine microzyga O. E. Schulz

The records in FRPS and Fl. Yunnan. (6: 69-70. 1995) of Cardamine microzyga from Yunnan are probably based on misidentified plants of C. purpurascens, a species that occurs in that province and was listed in Fl. Yunnan. as a synonym of C. microzyga. The above first record of C. microzyga from Xizang is based on Soulié 1025 (P) and Soulié 2466 (MO, P).

Cardamine microzyga var. duplolobata C. Y. Wu ex T. Y. Cheo (Bull. Bot. Lab. N. E. Forest. Inst., Harbin 1980(6): 27. 1980), which is endemic to Sichuan, does not belong to C. microzyga because it has strongly 2- or 3-lobed, coarsely dentate leaflets with petiolules nearly as long as or longer than the leaflets. Unfortunately, the type collection, T. T. Yü 6186 (holotype, PE; isotype, KUN), has no flowers or fruit. The present authors believe that this taxon represents a distinct species, but a formal recognition at that rank awaits the study of flowering and fruiting material.

Herbs perennial, 10-30(-45) cm tall, sparsely pilose. Rhizomes slender, to 15 cm or longer, 1-1.5 mm in diam., without stolons. Stems erect, simple, ridged, pilose. Basal leaves rosulate, 2-11 cm; petiole 0.5-5 cm, ciliate; terminal leaflet obovate, 2-8(-13) × 2-7(-10) mm, petiolule 0.5-4 mm, pilose, base cuneate, margin 1-3-toothed on each side, apex acute, submucronate; lateral leaflets 5-11 pairs, obovate or ovate, pilose, asymmetric, slightly smaller than terminal lobe, sessile or rarely with a petiolule to 5 mm, base oblique to subcuneate, proximal margin 1- or 2-toothed, rarely 1-lobed, distal margin often entire, apex acute. Cauline leaves 1-3, (2-)4-10(-25) cm; petiole 0.5-4(-9) cm, ciliate, not auriculate at base; terminal leaflet and 6-9 pairs of lateral leaflets similar in morphology to those of basal leaves. Racemes terminal, 10-20-flowered. Fruiting pedicels erect to erect-ascending, (0.7-)1-2 cm, slender, pilose. Sepals oblong or ovate, 2.5-4 × 1-1.7 mm, sparsely pilose or glabrous, margin membranous, base of lateral pair saccate. Petals purple or rarely white, broadly obovate, 6.5-10 × 3-6 mm, cuneate into a clawlike base to 2 mm, apex rounded. Median filament pairs 3.5-5 mm, flattened; lateral pair 2.5-3.5 mm; anthers narrowly oblong, 0.8-1.1 mm. Ovules 10-14 per ovary. Fruit linear, 2.5-4 cm × 1.5-2 mm; gynophore 0.5-2 mm; valves smooth, glabrous; style 1-2.5 mm. Seeds brown, oblong, 1.8-2.1 × 1-1.3 mm, wingless. Fl. (Apr-)Jun-Sep, fr. Jul-Oct.

Sichuan, Xizang.

* Moist alpine meadows, streamsides; 2600-4600 m.

Cardamine prattii Hemsley & E. H. Wilson.