Diapensia himalaica - Himalayan Pincushion Plant

Himalayan Pincushion Plant is a small shrublet growing only up to 5 cm tall. Tiny leathery leaves are crowded on stems. Leaves are obovate, spoon-shaped, or lanceshaped, 2-5 mm long, 1-2.5 mm wide, shiny above. The low-growing mat-like spread of the crowded leaves looks like a pincushion. Flowers are nearly stalkless, much larger than the leaves. Sepals are 5, free, purplish red, ovate at flowering. Flowers are pinkish red to rose-purple, occasionally white or yellow. Flower tube is bell-shaped, 4-8 mm, about twice as long as the sepals. This is an identifying feature which clearly separates it from the closely related Purple Pincushion Plant which has sepals as long as the flower-tube. Petals are inverted-egg shaped, broad at the end, and narrow at the base, spreading to 1 cm. Stamens are stalkless and can be seen sitting in the throat of the flowers. Capsule is pinkish red, broadly ellipsoid, about 8 x 3-4 mm. Himalayan Pincushion Plant is found in East Himalaya, from E Nepal to Bhutan, S. Tibet, N. Burma, W. China, at altitudes of 3600-4000 m. Flowering: May-June.