Dilophia salsa Thomson

Dilophia species are dwarf biennial or perennial herbs. Rootstock thick, fleshy, conical taproot. Stem simple near the base, erect, branched above, branches procumbent, trichomes simple or absent. Basal leaves densely in rosulate, fleshy, spathulate, base attenuate, margin entire or slightly dentate, apex obtuse, glabrous or pubescent, petiole sessile, upper cauline leaves below the inflorescence, base attenuate, margins entire, petiole sessile. Inflorescence dense racemes, subumbellate or corymbs, lax, many flowered, not elongated in fruit, bracteate or ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white or pink, actinomorphic, pedicel erect, ascending, divaricate, not elongated in fruit, sepals 4, erect, ovate, lateral pair base not saccate, persistant, petals 4, broadly obovate-spathulate, longer than sepals, base cuneate, margin entire, apex obtuse or emarginate, claw strongly differentiated. Stamens 6, tetradynamous, spreading, filaments not dilated, anthers ovate, nectar glands confluent and subtending bases of stamens. ovary superior, linear-elliptic, bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovules 4-16, style long, stigma bilobed. Fruit articulated siliqua, dehiscent, subcordate in outline, sessile, pedicel sessile, base broader, apex cristate, valves papery, margins distinct, surface glabrous, septum complete, style obsolete, stigma entire or slightly bilobed. Seeds 4-12, compressed, brown, oblong-ovoid, not winged, minutely reticulate, not mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons incumbent.

Dilophia species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: June-September.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Erect dwarf perennial herbs, about 3-10 cm tall. Rootstock thick, fleshy, conical taproot. Stem simple near the base, erect, about 2-4 cm long, branched above, branches procumbent up to 12 cm long, usually glabrous, trichomes simple or absent. Basal leaves densely in rosulate, fleshy, linear spathulate-oblanceolate, about 7-25 x 1-5 mm across, base attenuate, margin entire or sinuately dentate, apex obtuse, fleshy, glabrous, petiole sessile, upper cauline leaves below the inflorescence, base attenuate not auriculate, margins entire, petiole sessile. Inflorescence dense racemes, corymbs, few to many, not elongated in fruit, lowermost flower bracteates, upper flowers ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white or pink, actinomorphic, pedicel erect, ascending, divaricate, not elongated in fruit, about 3-9 mm long, sepals 4, erect, ovate, glabrous or pubescent, lateral pair base not saccate, persistant, apex denticulate or entire, about 1.5-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm across, petals 4, broadly obovate-spathulate, longer than sepals, base cuneate, margin entire, apex emarginate or obtuse, about 2-3 x 0.5-1.5 mm across, claw strongly differentiated, about 2 mm long. Stamens 6, tetradynamous, spreading, filaments not dilated, about 1-1.5 mm long, anthers ovate, about 0.5 mm long, nectar glands confluent and subtending bases of stamens. ovary superior, linear-elliptic, bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovules 4-16, style long, stigma bilobed. Fruit articulated siliqua, dehiscent, subcordate in outline, sessile, pedicel sessile, base broader, apex cristate, valves papery, margins distinct, surface glabrous, septum complete, style obsolete, stigma entire or slightly bilobed. Seeds 4-12, compressed, blackish brown, oblong-ovoid, not winged, minutely reticulate, not mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons incumbent.

Dilophia species are susceptible to insect pests, virus, mildews and moulds.

Along streams and moist grassy slopes, altitude 3000-4400 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).