Geranium napuligerum Franch.

This dwarf plant is well characterized by its short, thickened, and napiform roots. The short rootstock is usually covered by the roots. In this feature it resembles Geranium dahuricum, but the latter has roots in a fascicle and they are appreciable longer. Glandular trichomes seem to be restricted to stipules, sepal and bracteole bases, mericarps, and the abaxial side of leaves. More rarely there are glandular trichomes on the stem, peduncles, and pedicels.

Perennials. Rootstock ± vertical, 2-3.3 mm in diam., not tuberculate, with thickened and napiform roots along rootstock. Stem 4-17(-25) cm tall, erect, not rooting at nodes, with 0.2-0.6 mm retrorse appressed nonglandular trichomes and rarely 0.3-0.7 mm patent glandular trichomes. Stipules lanceolate to ovate, distinct. Leaves opposite; petiole with 0.3-0.7 mm retrorse ± appressed nonglandular trichomes and usually 0.4-0.7 mm patent glandular trichomes; leaf blade 0.7-2.1 cm, palmately cleft, ratio of main sinus/middle segment length = 0.79-0.85, pilose with appressed nonglandular trichomes and adaxially with ± patent glandular trichomes; segments 5, obtriangular, 1-2 mm wide at base, 3- or 4(-7)-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.28-0.47. Cymules solitary, 2-flowered; peduncle 1.3-6.9 cm. Pedicel 1.1-4.2 cm, with 0.3-0.6 mm retrorse appressed nonglandular trichomes and rarely 0.2-0.3 mm patent glandular trichomes; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals 6-7.6 mm, mucro 0.6-0.8 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = 0.09-0.11, outside with 0.2-0.7 mm antrorse ± appressed nonglandular trichomes and 0.7-1.6 mm patent glandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals deep pink, 1.1-1.4(-1.5) cm, erect to patent, both surfaces basally with trichomes, margin basally ciliate, apex rounded or slightly retuse with a 0.1-0.3 mm notch. Staminal filaments yellowish, lanceolate, abaxially pilose and proximal half ciliate, trichomes 0.4-1.1 mm; anthers yellowish, 1.4-1.7 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma red. Fruit 1.7-2 cm, reflexed when immature; mericarps smooth, with a basal callus, with 0.4-0.8 mm ± patent nonglandular trichomes and sometimes 0.4-0.5 mm glandular trichomes; rostrum 1-1.2 cm, with a 2.1-2.8 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 3.1-3.8 mm. Seeds 1.8-1.9 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Sep-Oct. 2n = 28*.

S Gansu, S Qinghai, W Sichuan, NW Yunnan.

● Forests, scrub, alpine meadows; 1800-4500(-5000) m.