Veronica filipes Tsoong

Perennials, 6-15 cm tall. Rhizomes less than 1 cm. Stems to 7, cespitose, ascending, often basally purple. Lower leaves scalelike; petiole less than 5 mm; leaf blade ovate to orbicular, 1.2-2.5 X 0.6-1.8 cm, hirsute or sparsely with multicellular hairs, base attenuate into petiole, margin entire or crenate on lower leaves, obtuse dentate to serrate on upper leaves, apex rounded to acute. Racemes 2-4, axillary, 2-5-flowered, subcapitate at anthesis, elongated after flowering, pubescent with multicellular hairs except for corolla; bracts broadly linear to oblanceolate. Pedicel 3-10 mm. Calyx lobes 4 or 5, if 5 then upper lobe much smaller and other 4 broadly linear to linear-elliptic, 3-5 mm. Corolla blue to pale purple, 5-7 mm, rotate; tube 0.8-1.8 mm, inside with a ring of hairs; lobes narrowly ovate to orbicular. Stamens as long as or to 2 mm longer than corolla. Capsule oblong to ovoid-globose, strongly compressed, ca. 3 X 2.5 mm, hirsute. Style 5-7 mm. Seeds ca. 8 per locule, flattened, ca. 1.2 X 0.8 mm; seed coat smooth. Fl. Jun-Aug.

S Gansu, E Qinghai, NW Sichuan.

* Alpine stony or sandy slopes; 3400-4500 m.