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)
Section Smithia
Distribution : Nepal, Sikkim, southern Tibet, sandy grasslands, gravely places, rock crevices, 4000 - 5000 m.
Description (according to 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.
Flowering time : Late July to early September.