Japanese name: クロトウヒレン（黒唐飛廉） Scientific name:Saussurea sessiliflora
[Overview]
A perennial 15–70 cm tall, growing in grasslands and woodland edges in the subalpine to alpine zone.
It is one of the representative alpine plants of the Northern Alps and Hakusan, forming flower meadows together with Shinano-kinbai, Hakusan-ichige and others.
The stem is erect and has distinct wings.
There are basal leaves and stem leaves; the basal leaves have usually withered by the flowering season.
The leaves are simple and alternate; those on the lower part of the stem are triangular-ovate to ovate, 5–15 cm long and 4–12 cm wide, with pointed tips and serrate margins, and have long winged petioles.
The leaves from the middle to the upper part of the stem become smaller toward the top.
2–6 flower heads are borne in a dense cluster at the stem tip; the heads are about 1.5 cm across and consist only of purple tubular florets.
The involucre is bell-shaped, 1–1.5 cm long and 1.2–2 cm wide, and dark purple to pale reddish brown.
The involucral bracts are in 8 rows and have pointed tips.
[Notes]
The name comes from the color of the involucre.
