Corydalis adiantifolia - Fernleaf Corydalis

Fernleaf Corydalis is a shorter and stouter perennial herb, 20-30 cm tall, hairless, glaucous, sparsely branched above or simple, erect rigid; rootstock thick, woody, often shortly branched above, densely covered with withered leaf bases. Basal leaves and stem leaves are similar to Fanleaf Corydalis; leaflets often kidney shaped and broader than long, 1-2 cm in diameter, 3-5-lobulate, end segment often with 2 lateral segments at its base; leaf-stalk hardly or not sheathing at base. Flower racemes and flowers are also similar to Fanleaf Corydalis; bracts much exceeding the flower buds, lower about as long as the flower-stalk, upper even longer than it in fruit, linear-needle-like, bristly, 4-5 mm long, 1 mm broad. Flower-stalks are 2-4 mm long and deflexed in fruit. Sepals are 3-4 mm long, 1 mm broad, membranous, lanceshaped, finely toothed to somewhat lacerate below, often as long or slightly longer than the bracts. Capsules are usually linear, rarely dimorphic, linear or broad elliptic, present on the same plant but on different branches, 1.5-2 cm long, 2-3 or 6-7 mm broad, 8-10-seeded. Fernleaf Corydalis is found in Pakistan, Tibet, West Himalaya, Xinjiang, in gravelly areas, desert grasslands, at altitudes of 2300-5000 m. Flowering: July-August.