Scutellaria Zhongdianensis

Scutellaria zhongdianensis, accepted botanically as Scutellaria chungtienensis, is a rare perennial skullcap confined to Yunnan in south-western China. Compact leafy stems are expected to carry blue to violet, two-lipped flowers during summer, displaying the characteristic crested calyx of the genus. Its home around the high Zhongdian region suggests a plant adapted to bright mountain light, cool summers and free-draining mineral ground. Little represented in cultivation, it is a valuable collector's alpine requiring careful labels and observation.