Draba alajica Litv.

The above first record of Draba alajica from China is based on the type collection of D. winterbottomii var. stracheyi, J. E. Winterbottom s.n. (holotype, K; isotypes, BM, GH, P). The species was previously known to be endemic to SE Tajikistan (Pamir Alay and adjacent parts), and it is likely to be found in neighboring SW Xinjiang and Kashmir.

Herbs perennial, 3-15 cm tall, densely cespitose, scapose. Caudex few to many branched, ultimate branches terminated in rosettes and covered with leaves of previous years. Stems erect, simple, sparsely tomentose proximally, glabrous or glabrescent distally, rarely sparsely with stellate trichomes. Basal leaves rosulate, persistent; petiole to 6 cm; leaf blade oblong or oblong-spatulate, rarely linear-oblong, (0.3-)0.6-1.7(-1.9) cm × 1.5-4 mm, densely tomentose with 4-6-rayed stellate trichomes 1 or more rays of which forked or with a lateral branch on each side, base attenuate or cuneate, margin entire, apex obtuse. Cauline leaves absent or rarely 1, sessile; leaf blade oblong, tomentose as basal leaves, margin entire, apex obtuse. Racemes 5-18(-20)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit. Fruiting pedicels (0.5-)0.7-1.5 cm, ascending to subdivaricate, straight, glabrous or rarely sparsely tomentose all around. Sepals ovate or oblong, 2-3 × 1-1.5 mm, erect, abaxially sparsely tomentose with stellate trichomes, base of lateral pair not saccate, margin narrowly membranous. Petals yellow, obovate, 4.5-6 × 2-3 mm, apex subemarginate or rounded. Filaments 2-3 mm; anthers oblong, 0.5-0.6 mm. Ovules 10-16 per ovary. Fruit linear-lanceolate to oblong-linear, (0.5-)0.7-1.3 cm × 1.5-2 mm, not inflated, latiseptate, not twisted or slightly twisted; valves puberulent with predominately simple and fewer forked trichomes, not veined, base obtuse, apex subacute; style 0.7-1.5 mm. Seeds brown, oblong, ca. 1 × 0.6 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun-Aug.

SW Xizang [Tajikistan].

Grassy and stony slopes in alpine areas; 3400-4700 m.

Draba alajica var. lasiocarpa Pohle; D. alajica var. leiocarpa Pohle; D. winterbottomii (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Pohle var. stracheyi O. E. Schulz.