Taxonomy
See also M. integrifolia. This is a largely Chinese taxon characterized by pale yellow horizontally held flowers, a long style and a network leaf venation rather than 3 ribs. However plants on two mountain ranges in Yunnan were tall with varied leaf venation lower down but on exposed screes were much dwarfer and showed a leaf venation approaching to the full 3 ribbed form, all however had the paler flowers and long style. Leaf ribbing may well be an adaptation (albeit genetically fixed) so that high altitude plants have the strong 3 ribbed leaf. Grey-Wilson has described 3 subsp., pseudointegrifolia (NW Yunnan), robusta (Wide distribution from Yunnan to SE Tibet, Burma and Bhutan as well as possible Sichuan) and daliensis (north Cangshan range near Dali).The long style and more drooping flowers are probably an adaptation that has evolved in wetter parts of China and Tibet. A detailed account is given in C. Grey-Wilson The New Plantsman 1996.
Cultivation
Easy from seed which at present is usually reasonably available from seed exchanges but not commerce. It is variable since lower altitude forms flower tall and straggly but it can be very good with compact plants. Spring sown seed grows on quite fast and relatively free from fungal infections and large plants should be ready for planting out late August from pots. Some flower at two years and plants in rich soil with plenty of organic matter produce beautiful specimens in the garden. Grow in full sun (at least in Scotland).
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Map Location
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