Snow Lotus (scientific name: Snow Lotus? (Kar。 et Kir。 )Sch。 -Bishop. ), named Saussurea involucrata because of its lotus-like top. It is a perennial herb with a height of15-35cm. The rhizome is thick, and most of the brown leaves are left on the neck. Stems stout, glabrous. Dense leaves, sessile basal leaves and cauline leaves, oval or ovoid leaves; The uppermost leaf bract is leaflike, membranous and yellow, surrounding the raceme, with sharp teeth at the edge. There are 10-20 heads, which are clustered into spherical racemes at the top of the stem. The involucre is hemispherical with a diameter of 65438 0 cm; Involucral bracts 3-4 layers, with purplish brown edges or all. Small flowers are purple. Achenes are rectangular. The crown hair is dirty white. The flowering and fruiting period is from July to September.

It is distributed in many cold areas of China, but also in Russian and Kazakstan. Born in crevices, stone walls and ice-sulfur gravel beaches near the alpine snow line, with an altitude of 2400-4000 meters. Tianshan Mountain produces the most and has the best quality. It can be used as medicine and has certain ornamental value. Saussurea involucrata has been listed as a second-class protected plant in China 1996. Saussurea involucrata is the only Saussurea plant listed in China Plant Red Book, and it is a national third-class endangered species in China. In 2000, the document the State Council 13 explicitly prohibited the mining of wild Saussurea involucrata.

(Overview Image source: China Natural Herbarium [1])

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snow lotus

Latin scientific name

Xuelian? (Kar。 et Kir。 )Sch。 -Bishop.

Another name

Snow lotus, lotus, flying grass, etc.

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