Rhodiola handelii H. Ohba

This species is known to the present authors only from the type collection.

Plants to 1.5 cm tall. Caudex branched, 5-10 × 5-10 mm. Caudex leaves leaflike and scalelike; petiole brown, 4-5.5 × 1.5-1.7 mm at base, persistent, base spurred; leaf blade oblong, 1.5-3.5(-4) × 0.8-1.7 mm, apex obtuse. Flowering stem solitary, ascending, 0.9-1.5 cm, glabrous. Stem leaves few, alternate, sessile, spatulate-oblanceolate, 3.5-4 × 1-1.3 mm, base attenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse. Inflorescences 1(-3)-flowered; bracts few, ca. 1.5 × 0.5 mm. Flowers bisexual, 4- or 5-merous, 3-3.5 mm in diam. Sepals ovate-oblong, 3.2-3.7 mm, base conspicuously spurred, spur ca. 0.8 mm, apex rounded. Petals ?white, triangular-ovate to oblong-ovate, 2.5-2.7 × 1.4-1.7 mm, margin entire, apex mucronate. Stamens 8 or 10, slightly shorter than petals; antepetalous ones inserted ca. 0.2 mm from petal base; filaments 2.2-2.5 mm; anthers ?reddish, globose. Nectar scales oblong, 1-1.2 × 0.5-0.7 mm, apex irregularly erose. Carpels erect, 2.2-2.5 mm, 8-10-ovuled. Styles less than 0.5 mm. Follicles not seen. Fl. May.

* Sichuan.