GELIDA Schrenk ex Fischer & C.A.Meyer, 1841

Synonyms :

Sedum gelidum  (Schrenk ex Fischer & C.A.Meyer) Karelin & Kirilow (1842) / Chamaerhodiola gelida  (Schrenk ex Fischer & C.A.Meyer) Nakai (1934)

Sedum dubium  Paulsen (1922)

Type : Schrenk 692, Siberia.

Subgenus Rhodiola section Chamaerhodiola

Etymology : growing in icy places - for the occurrence in Siberia.

Distribution : Eastern Russia, Tadzhikistan, Mongolia, China (Xinjiang), grassland slopes and

rocks, 2800 - 4200 m.

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

Dioecious, 3 - 10 cm tall. 

Rhizomes massive, basaIly continuous into a massive cylindrical root, rhizome branches cylindrical, 1 - 1.5 cm in diameter.

Flowering stems fastigiate, ± 1 mm in diameter, marcescent, glabrous.

Leaves altemate, laxly arranged, sessile, ascending to spreading, oblong to narrowly ovate, 6 - 10 x 2.3 – 4 mm, glabrous, smooth, tip round, base truncate, rnargin sparsely denticulate to nearly entire.

Inflorescences 4- to 10-flowered, 0.6 - 1.5 x 1 - 2 cm in diameter, pedicels < 1 mm, smooth.

FIowers 4-merous, 3 - 4 mm (male) or 4 - 5 mm (female) long, calyx 2.5 - 3.5 mm, tube ± 1 mm, sepals oblong to broadly oblong, 1.8 - 2.2 mm (male) or 2 - 2.5 mm (female), petals yeIlow, oblong to oblong-ovate (male) or narrowly oblong (female), 3 - 4 mm (male) or 1.8 - 2.2 mm (female), ascending to suberect, stamens slightly longer than the petals (male).

R. gelida appears to be distinguishable from R. quadrifida by the oblong to narrowly ovate leaves with often roughly and irregularly denticulate margins, as weIl as by the oblong to broadly oblong sepals.