Clumped erect perennial herb 12-60 cm, often ericoid in aspect, ± woody at the base, the underground parts not scaly; plants finely glandular-pubescent. Lowermost leaves opposite, the rest alternate, coriaceous, subglabrous, the nerves obscure, margin revolute, narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 0.5-1.3 by 0.1-0.2(-0.4)cm, with a few coarse teeth on each side, subsessile. Inflorescence erect. Flowers erect, borne in axils of upper leaves. Floral tube 1-2 mm across, 0.7-1 mm deep. Sepals 3-5.6 by 1-2.5 mm. Petals obovate, 4.5-8 by 2.8-4 mm, purplish rose, the notch 1.5-2 mm deep. Anthers 0.7-1 mm long; filaments of the longer stamens 1.8-2.5 mm, those of the shorter 0.5-1.5 mm. Style 2.5-4 mm. Stigma clavate, 1.5-2 mm high, 0.5-0.7 mm thick, surrounded by the anthers at anthesis. Capsule 3-6 cm long, glabrescent, on a pedicel 1-2.5 cm. Seeds 0.9-1.2 by 0.4-0.6 mm, papillose, brown, with a short pellucid beak, the coma 5-7 mm long, white. Gametic chromosome number, n = 18.
Subalpine and alpine meadows and grasslands, open shrubberies, swampy treefern grassland, occasionally epiphytic on treefern trunks, forest glades, often in succession after ground-fires, (1600-)1950-3800 m. Fl. (Jan.-)June-Aug.(-Dec)
Home