Corydalis thyrsiflora Prain

Plants somewhat succulent, and seem to prefer wet habitat along the streams at high altitudes.

Erect to ascending or diffuse perennial herbs, (10-) 15-30 (-40) cm tall, usually branched above, subsucculent, glabrous, subglaucous with slender thickened rootstock. Radical leaves 3-pinnatisect, often reaching up to the base of the inflorescence, long stalked and base slightly sheathing; pinnae 5-10 on each side and a terminal one, alternate or subopposite, 1-3 (-4) cm long, 1-2 cm broad, shortly petioluled to subsessile, 3-5 (-7) pinnuled; each pinnule deeply 3-5 lobuled, 5-10 (-15) mm long, about as broad; lobule (ultimate segments) oblong to linear, (3-) 5-10 mm long, 1-3 mm broad, usually acute and minutely mucronate; cauline leaves similar, gradually becoming smaller upwards, petiolate to subsessile, alternate or subopposite, many; plants often looking leafless below because of the lamina borne much above the petiole and the cauline leaves arising a little above on the stem. Racemes dense, thyrsiform, terminal on short apical branches, 20-40-flowered, (3-) 5-12 cm long, tapering above; bracts linearly lobed to entire linear, 8-12 (-15) mm long, lobes c. 1 mm broad. Flowers yellow, short and broad, 12-15 mm long, 3-5 mm broad, lower ones usually inverted; spur broad, obtuse, about half as long as the flower, straight or slightly down-curved. Sepals minute, c. 1.5 mm in diam., much dissected at margin, membranous white. Upper petal with broad dorsal wing near the apex, obtuse; lower petal conspicuously saccate at base, similarly winged. Pedicel 8-12 mm long in fruit, deflexed. Capsule short and broad, 5-7 mm long, c. 4 mm broad, ellipsoid with valves coarsely 3-4 veined, 3-4 seeded; style 3-3.5 mm long, curved at the apex with broad stigmas; seeds biseriate, c. 2 mm in diam., shining black.

Distribution: N. W. Himalaya and Kashmir.

Fl.Per.: June-Aug.