• Scientific Name: Maianthemum purpureum (Wall.) LaFrankie
• Ref: Taxon 35:589. 1986
• Synonyms:
  • Jocaste purpurea (Wall.) Kunth
  • Maianthemum oligophyllum (Elwes) Karthik.
  • M. pallidum (Royle) Karthik.
  • Smilacina pallida Royle
  • S. purpurea Wall.
  • S. purpurea f. albiflora (Wall.) H.Hara
  • S. zhongdianensis H.Li & Y.Chen
  • Tovaria oligophylla (Elwes) Baker
  • T. pallida (Royle) Baker
  • T. purpurea (Wall.) Baker
  • Veratrum hoffmeisteri Klotzsch
• Chinese Common Name: 紫花鹿药 zǐhuā lùyào
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Maianthemum
• Distribution: Forests, thickets; 3200–4000 m. E and S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Nepal, Sikkim].
• Photo: 07/16/2011, Mt. Sejila, Xizang

Plants 25--60 cm tall. Rhizome usually moniliform, 1--1.5 cm thick. Stem pubescent distally. Leaves 5--9, subsessile or shortly petiolate; leaf blade oblong or ovate-oblong, 7--13 × 3--6.5 cm, pubescent along abaxial veins. Inflorescence usually a raceme, occasionally with 1 or 2 branches, 1.5--7 cm; rachis pubescent. Flowers solitary; pedicel 2--4 mm, pubescent. Perianth white or sometimes tinged purplish; segments free, ovate-elliptic or ovate, 4--5 × 2--3 mm. Filaments ca. 1.5 mm, dilated to base; anthers small. Style nearly as long as ovary; stigma 3-lobed. Berries red at maturity, 6--7 mm in diam., 1--4-seeded. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Sep. 2 n = 36, 38*. (Flora of China)