SMITHII  (Hamet) S.H.Fu, 1965

Synonyms :

Sedum smithii  Hamet (1913)

Sedum chumbicum  Prain ex Hamet (1929) 
Sedum sangpo-tibetanum  Fröderström (1937) / Rhodiola sangpo-tibetana  (Fröderström) S.H.Fu (1965)

Type : Smith & Clave 2126, Sikkim.

Subgenus Primuloides, section Smithia

Distribution : Nepal, Sikkim, S Tibet, sandy grasslands, gravely places, rock crevices, 4000 - 5000 m.

Description (by H. Ohba in IHSP, 2003) :

Hermaphrodite, 2 - 5 cm taIl, 

Rhizomes 5 – 8 mm in diameter, with dimorphic scaly leaves.

Scaly leaves triangular-ovate or triangular-semicircular, long acuminate or with linear appendage (1.5 - 3 mm) at the tip, 5 - 9 x 2 - 3.5 mm.

Flowering stems 2 - 3, ascending or suberect, from the axils of the innermost scaly leaves, glabrous, 1,7 mm in diameter.

Stem leaves remote, widely spreading, sessile, linear-eIliptic or linear-ovate, 4.5 - 14 x 1.1 - 2.2 mm, glabrous, tip round, base truncate or very shortly attenuate, margin nearly entire.

Inflorescences smaIl corymbs with 5 - 10 flowers, 0.5 - 2.2 x 1 - 3.5 cm in diameter, pedicels 0.3 - 1.5 cm.

FIowers 4 - 5 mm in diameter, calyx 3.1 - 5.3 mm, glabrous, sepals linear-ovate or very narrowly

oblong, 2.4 - 4 mm, petals linear-ovate, 3.7 - 6.5 mm, pink, ascending, stamens shorter than the petals, erect, filaments reddish, nectar scales square, 0.4 - 0.6 mm, reddish, carpels 3.6 - 7.4 mm, each with 4 - 8 ovules, seeds linear, tip rounded.

Flowering time : Late July to early September.