Flowering from June to July.
Androsace delavayi is close relative of Androsace globifera, but differs from the latter in its leaf blade obovate (vs. narrowly obovate to spatulate), adaxially glabrescent, abaxially fimbriate-ciliate (vs. inner leaves white villous on both surfaces).
Androsace delavayi is occurring in SW Sichuan, SE Xizang, NW Yunnan of China, Bhutan, NE India, N Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim.
Herbs perennial, forming dense cushions from branched caudex. Leaf rosettes 5-8 mm in diameter, superimposed on old leaf rosettes, but sometimes with intervals between rosettes. Leaves obscurely dimorphic, sessile. Outer leaves fewer, yellowish brown, more sparsely ciliate. Inner leaves grayish green, broadly obovate to ligulate-obovate, 2-4 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, abaxially minutely hirtellous on distal 1/2, fimbriate-ciliate near apex, adaxially glabrescent, margin ± incurved, apex rounded. Scapes 1-3 cm, sparsely hirtellous, 1-2-flowered, or sometimes scapes obsolescent with a solitary flower arising from leaf rosette; bracts usually 2, oblong-lanceolate, conduplicate, sparsely hirtellous on proximal part, densely hirtellous on distal part, base slightly gibbous. Pedicel 1-2 mm long. Calyx ca. 2.5-3 mm long, parted scarcely to middle; lobes ovate-oblong, densely hirtellous, ciliate, apex obtuse to subrounded. Corolla white or pink; lobes broadly obovate, apex rounded to obscurely emarginate.
Growing in rock crevices, gravelly slopes, dry meadows; 3000-4800 m.
