Saussurea leucoma
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A herb. It grows 10-18 cm tall. It keeps growing from year to year. It has a fattened rootstock 2 cm across. A single stem arises from this and is hidden by leaves. The leaves are narrowly oval and 3-5 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. It is divided along the stalk. There are 5-10 pairs of narrow lobes. The leaves are greyish white underneath. There are several flower heads in a group.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows on alpine scree slopes between 3,200-5,300 m above sea level in Tibet. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Tibet
How it is used for food
The plant is eaten as a vegetable.
Edible parts
Flowers, leaves