Lappula sericata Popov

Herbs perennial or biennial, densely cespitose. Stems usually 4-10, ascending or diffuse, branched above, 7-15 cm tall, densely gray-white sericeous. Basal leaves numerous, forming a rosette, sessile; leaf blade linear to filiform, to 4 cm × 1-2 mm, apex obtuse; stem leaves similar to basal leaves, 0.5-1.5 mm. Inflorescences terminal on branches, 3-6 cm in fruit; bracts linear, usually ca. as long as fruiting pedicel. Fruiting pedicel erect, stout, 1.5-2 mm. Calyx 5-parted; lobes linear, densely sericeous, 2-2.5 mm in fruit, subtending fruit. Corolla blue; tube ca. 2 mm; throat appendages trapeziform, ca. 0.6 mm; limb ca. 5 mm wide; lobes oblong, 1.5-2 mm. Style surpassing nutlets by 0.3-0.5 mm. Fruit ovoid-globose, ca. 2.5 mm; nutlets ovoid, 2-2.5 mm, densely granulose with spines; disc ovate; marginal glochids in 2 rows, inner glo-chids 0.2-0.5 mm, base erect or curved, outer glochids ca. 0.2 mm.

Hillsides. Xinjiang (Yuli Xian) [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].