Ladakiella klimesii - Ladakh Alyssum

Ladakh Alyssum is a high altitude perennial, somewhat cushion like herb, grayish silver and woolly, about 1-3 cm tall. It was named in honor of Leoš Klimeš who extensively explored Ladakh high altitude regions, and unfortunately disappeared on one such expedition. Flowers are borne in 2-4 flowered racemes, dense, usually up to 1 cm and above leaf rosette, ebracteate, flower-cluster-stalk distinct. Flowers are bisexual, yellow or pinkish white, about 1.5-2.5 mm across, flower-stalk about 0.5-2 mm long, sepals 4, usually free, oblong, falling off, about 1.5-2 x 1-1.5 mm across, petals 4, alternating the sepals, oblong spoon-shaped, tip obscurely notched, sparsely hairy outside, about 2-3 x 0.8-1 mm across. Stamens are 6, free, about 1.5-2 mm long. Stems are few, simple or branched from the base to caudex, densely covered with short woolly hairs. Leaves are simple, alternate in a rosette, linear spoon-shaped or linear inverted-lanceshaped, about 4-10 x 1-2 mm across, base narrowed, margin entire, tip rounded, fleshy, grayish green densely woolly both above and beneath, leaf-stalk stalkless, exstipulate. Ladakh Alyssum is found in West Himalaya to Tibet, at altitudes of about 5000 m.