Saxifraga wallichiana Sternb.

The gross morphology of Saxifraga wallichiana sometimes approaches that of S. brachypoda, especially in the Himalayas, but the former species is distinguished from the latter by the presence of petal callosities. Therefore, the two species are kept separate in the present account. Both Chinese and Nepalese S. wallichiana have petals 2-callose. The petal margin is different (entire in Chinese plants, very finely laciniate in Nepalese plants), but plants from the two countries cannot be distinguished by other characters.

Stem simple, 10-30 cm tall, proximally glabrous or sparsely eglandular hairy, only most distal part glandular hairy. Leaf buds present in axils of proximal, median or (especially) distal cauline leaves. Basal leaves absent. Cauline leaves crowded along stem, shiny, ovate or narrowly so to lanceolate, 0.8-1.8 cm × 1.5-8 mm, both surfaces glabrous, base cordate, semiamplexicaul, margin cartilaginous eglandular or glandular ciliate, apex acute. Cyme 2-4-flowered or flower solitary; pedicels 2-8 mm, glandular hairy. Sepals erect, ovate, 1.6-5.3 × 0.7-2.5 mm, glabrous or abaxially and marginally ± glandular hairy, veins 3-7, partly or fully confluent at apex, apex acute. Petals yellow, ovate or obovate to elliptic, 4.3-6.6 × 1.6-3.1 mm, 2-callose near base, 3-9-veined, base abruptly contracted into a claw 0.3-1.1 mm, apex obtuse to acute. Stamens 3.5-5.5 mm. Ovary subsuperior, ovoid to broadly so, 1.8-2.2 mm; styles 1.1-3 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Nov. 2n = 24.

W Sichuan, E and S Xizang, N Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim].

Forests, forest margins, scrub, alpine meadows, rock crevices; 2000-5000 m.

Saxifraga brachypoda D. Don var. fimbriata (Wallich ex Seringe) Engler & Irmscher; S. fimbriata Wallich ex Seringe; S. oligantha Zhmylev; S. pauciflora T. C. Ku (1989), not Sternberg (1822); S. phaenophylla Franchet.