Saxifraga carnosula Mattf.

This species is possibly not distinct from Saxifraga prattii.

Herbs perennial, cespitose, 7-12 cm tall. Shoots few branched, with leaf rosettes. Flowering stem slender, glabrous, leafy. Shoot leaves spatulate, ca. 5.5 × 1.5 mm, carnose, glabrous, 3-veined. Cauline leaves oblong-linear, 5.5-11.5 × 1-2 mm, subcarnose, both surfaces glabrous, 3-veined, margin setose-ciliate, apex obtuse. Flower solitary or cyme 2-flowered; pedicels slender, 1.4-2.7 cm, glabrous. Sepals spreading to reflexed, ovate to subelliptic, 1.4-2.5 × 0.6-1.4 mm, carnose, glabrous, veins 3 or 4, not confluent at apex, apex subobtuse or acute. Petals yellow, narrowly ovate to suboblong, 3.9-6 × 1.9-2.2 mm, 2-callose near base, 3-veined, base contracted into a claw 0.6-1 mm, apex subobtuse. Stamens 4.5-5.4 mm. Ovary subsuperior, ovoid to ellipsoid, 2-3.5 mm; styles divergent, 1.5-1.7 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.

Herbs perennial, 3-4 cm tall. Shoots branched. Flowering stem glabrous. Proximal leaves reduced toward median cluster of rosette leaves, narrowly obovate, 5-8 × 1-2 mm, carnose, both surfaces and margin glabrous, apex obtuse. Cauline leaves narrowly obovate, 6-8 × 1-2 mm, carnose, both surfaces and margin glabrous, apex obtuse. Flower solitary or cyme 2-4-flowered; pedicels ca. 3 mm, glabrous. Sepals erect or spreading, ovate, 2.5-3 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous, veins 3, confluent at apex, apex obtuse. Petals yellow, elliptic, 4-5 × 2.5 mm, 1-veined, base tapered into a short claw, apex obtuse. Stamens ca. 2.5 mm. Ovary subsuperior, ovoid, ca. 2 mm; styles divergent, ca. 2 mm. Fl. Aug.

W Sichuan, NW Yunnan (Dêqên Xian).

Yunnan.

* Forests, alpine scrub, rock crevices; 3000-4900 m.

* Rocks, cliffs; ca. 5000 m.