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)

Section Chamaerhodiola

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

rocks, 2800 - 4200 m.

Description (according to 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.