Rhodiola bupleuroides

Rhodiola bupleuroides (Wall. ex Hook. f. & Thomson) S.H. Fu, Acta Phytotax. Sin., Addit. 1: 124 1965. (Syn: Rhodiola bhutanica (Praeger) S.H. Fu; Rhodiola hookeri S.H. Fu; Sedum bhutanicum Praeger; Sedum bupleuroides Wall. ex Hook. f. & Thomson; Sedum cooperi Praeger; Sedum gorisii Raym.-Hamet);

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Flora of Uttarakhand- Herb30 for Id- JM:
Wild Herb captured on 13/8/10 during the trek from Ghangaria (around 11,000 ft.) to Hemkunt Sahib (around 14000 ft.).

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI

VoF Week :: DV :: 02 AUG 12 – 0230 :: Rhodiola heterodonta at Valley of Flowers:

Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook. f. & Thomson) Boriss. … (family: Crassulaceae)

2 AUG 12
Valley of Flowers … about 11000 – 12000 ft

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

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VOF Week: Rhodiola heterodonta at VOF:
Rhodiola heterodonta (Family: Crassulaceae) from VOF.
Date/Time: 8-08-2012 / 01:50PM.

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

VoF Week: MN-30.08.12 Rhodiola heterodonta (Toothed Rhodiola) :

Rhodiola heterodonta

Valley of Flowers

14.08.2012

Although no images seen now, I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

VoF Week: Rhodiola heterodonta from Valley:
Rhodiola heterodonta from Valley

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

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Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight: Crassulaceae- Rhodiola heterodonta at VOF-PKA-DEC11: : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (4).
Rhodiola heterodonta (Family: Crassulaceae) from VOF.
Date/Time: 8-08-2012 / 01:50PM.

Nice pics from a very nice place.. thanks …

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight:: Crassulaceae:: Rhodiola heterodonta from VOF- NS 19 : 3 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (5).
This high herb with succulent leaves was recorded en route Ghangariya from Gobind Ghat…
The id was concluded as Rhodiola heterodonta …and I hope the conclusion is right..

I hope yes
Thanks for sharing

nice

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight:: Crassulaceae:: Rhodiola bupleuroides? from VOF- NS 26 : 5 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2).
This was recorded from way to VOF, can this be Rhodiola bupleuroides ?? I do not have more pics..

your are correct

Does not seem to match with the illustration at http://www.tropicos.org/Image/17648

your are correct

I think it should be Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook. f. & Thomson) Boriss. as per images herein.

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

Images of Rhodiola bupleuroides in FOI appears to be of Rhodiola heterodonta : 2 posts by 2 authors.

Rhodiola bupleuroides in FOI appears to be Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook. f. & Thomson) Boriss. in efi in its various threads.

Pl. check.

Some images of Rhodiola heterodonta in FOI also look similar to images of Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook. f. & Thomson) Boriss. in efi in its various threads.

Pl. check.
I have also forwarded one posting of Suresh Rana ji, which may be of Rhodiola bupleuroides.

No the images on the FOI site are not of Rhodiola heterodonta.

They may well prove to be R.bupleuroides (which therefore represent a more Westerly occurrence than West Nepal for this species but many typically Nepalese or E.Himalayan occur in Uttarakhand).

I am not familiar enough with R.bupleroides at this stage to comment further.

Always easier to say what something is not, than what it definitely is..

SK 3284 02 January 2022: 2 very high res. images.

Location: Jumla, West Nepal

Altitude: 3400 m.

Date: 24 August 2021
Habit : Wild
Rhodiola bupleuroides (Wall. ex Hook.fil. & Thomson) S.H.Fu ??

For me you are right:
https://www.flowersofindia.BhutanRhodiola.html

Looks different from Rhodiola bupleuroides (Wall. ex Hook. f. & Thomson) S. H. Fu as per FoC images and illustrations.
To me appears close to images at Rhodiola heterodonta

I think it is Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI
Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

Rhodiola heterodonta in FOI:

Image of Rhodiola heterodonta in FOI by Thingnam ji, is of Rhodiola bupleuroides as per POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI

Looks different from R.heterodonta as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

Pl. correct.

Thanks for the fresh scrutiny … The specimen photographed by Girija is in the fruiting stage – it was photographed in August. You can compare the fruits of Rhodiola heterodonta and Rhodiola bupleuroides with the closeup image of the same specimen here:

http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=44098&flora_id=2

http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=12126&flora_id=2
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Flora of China illustrations, which Is have seen earlier, are misleading as they may have been made for their population and for some name which may have been synonymised subsequently. This has caused lot of confusion. Pl. compare with specimens from India in GBIF and POWO, some of which I have already given in the link and in the discussion threads.
… specimen from Valley of Flowers is otherwise also not matching with FoC illustration and matches with other observations from there of Rhodiola bupleuroides, including those in FOI.

for example I find Girija’s plant very similar to the GBIF image of Rhodiola heterodonta here:

https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1936536925
In addition, the inflorescence of Rhodiola bupleuroides do not appear as dense as in Girija’s images, in whatever images of Rhodiola bupleuroides I can see.

May I Request you to post a high resolution image to see the details.

One closeup I already posted. The 2nd image, the one on FOI, is here
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All the following observations of Rhodiola bupleuroides from Valley of Flowers given below match with those of Thingnam ji:
VoF Week :: DV :: 02 AUG 12 – 0230 :: Rhodiola heterodonta at Valley of Flowers
VOF Week: Rhodiola heterodonta at VOF:
Flora of Uttarakhand- Herb30 for Id- JM
VoF Week: Rhodiola heterodonta from Valley :
Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight: Crassulaceae- Rhodiola heterodonta at VOF-PKA-DEC11: :
Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight:: Crassulaceae:: Rhodiola heterodonta from VOF- NS 19
Crassulaceae, Combretaceae and Myrtaceae Fortnight:: Crassulaceae:: Rhodiola bupleuroides? from VOF- NS 26

Carpels also match.

Pl. see close ups at
VoF Week :: DV :: 02 AUG 12 – 0230 :: Rhodiola heterodonta at Valley of Flowers
VOF Week: Rhodiola heterodonta at VOF:

Clearly we all got the same plant from the Valley of Flowers, and everyone seems to have got the fruiting stage. I think you may be right here. I am attaching a close up of flowers we found in another trip in June.
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SMP:: VOF 102:: Plant for ID:: JULY 2026: 2 images.
Plant for ID. Hemkund route

Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook.fil. & Thomson) Boriss.

I think it is
https://efloraofindia.com/efi/rhodiola-bupleuroides/

796 (VOF7) ID wild plant: 9 high res. images.
Please ID wild plant,
Location: Valley of Flowers trail THE GREAT HIMALAYAS Ghangaria Chamoli Uttrakhand INDIA
Altitude: 12000fsl
Flower date: 02AUG2026, 11.15am
Habitat: wild moisture rocky sloppy grassy misty windy alpine
Plant habit: small obliquely branched herb, weak cylindrical stem 04mm diameter, perennial
Height: 01.5 feet
Leaves: alternate elliptical acute simple smooth serrated margins, size upto: 04×02.5cm
Flower: terminal panicle inflorescence, clustered, scarlet, non fragrant diameter:06mm
Fruit:
Seed:

Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook.fil. & Thomson) Boriss.

Yes, it is Rhodiola heterodonta, dear …, thank you very much for ID my plant

I think it is
https://efloraofindia.com/efi/rhodiola-bupleuroides/ as per images and details herein

Yes, it is R. bupleuroides dear …, thank you very much for ID my plant.

804 (VOF15) ID wild plant Rhodiola: 7 high res. images.
Please ID wild plant Rhodiola with leaf margins serrated,
Location: Valley of Flowers trail THE GREAT HIMALAYAS Ghangaria Chamoli Uttrakhand INDIA
Altitude: 12000fsl
Flower date: 03AUG2026, 03.15pm
Habitat: wild moisture rocky sloppy grassy misty windy alpine
Plant habit: small obliquely rhizome branched semisucculent herb, weak cylindrical fleshy stem 04mm diameter, perennial
Height: 01.5 feet
Leaves: alternate elliptical acute simple thick smooth fleshy serrated margins, size upto: 04×02.5cm
Flower: terminal panicle inflorescence, clustered, scarlet, non fragrant diameter:06mm
Fruit:
Seed:

Please compare heterodonta and bupleuroides.

Thank you very much for sharing the information. From my observation, the leaves are serrated, so I think it will be Rhodiola heterodonta.

I think it is
https://efloraofindia.com/efi/rhodiola-bupleuroides/

Please check, serrated leaves from base.

I find only two similar looking options as above for the valley of flowers.
Rhodiola heterodonta looks much different with no observations from the valleys.
https://efloraofindia.com/efi/rhodiola-heterodonta/
I am comparing both from Flora of Pakistan:

Rhodiola heterodonta (Hook.f., & Thomson) Boriss.

Rhodiola bupleuroides (Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thomson) S. H. Fu

Perennial dioecious herb. Root robust, vertical, branched. Rhizome subcylindrical to narrowly ovoidal, 2-3 cm wide. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Flowering stems 1-5 in number on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, old flowering stems deciduous, 12-47 cm high, 2-7 mm wide at anthesis.

Cauline leaves sessile, coarsely toothed to nearly entire, acute-obtuse, glabrous, triangular or broadly triangular pentagonal-ovate, broadly cordate, 7-32 x 7-14 mm. Inflorescence terminal, dense, compound corymbose, many-flowered, mostly ebracteate. Bract similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers sessile or subsessile, 4-5-merous, unisexual, perigynous. Calyx 2-4.5 x 0.2-1 mm, lobes basally connate, glabrous, entire, obtuse, linear to linear-ovate. Petals glabrous, entire, acute or obtuse in male, round in female, narrowly rhombic-elliptic to oblong, 3.5-6 x 0.5-1.1 mm in male; 1.8-4.5 x 0.5-0.8 mm in female. Stamens 8-10, twice as long as the petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous 5-8 mm long, alternipetalous 5-9 mm long. Pistillodes in male 4-5, 1.2-3 x 0.4-0.5 mm; carpels in female 4-5, 5-6 x 1-1.5 mm, style 0.2-0.6 mm long, marginal placentation, ovules 20-32 per locule. Nectar scales oblong-subquadrate, 0.7-1.5 x 0.3-0.7 mm. Follicles 4-5, 6-8 x 1.5-2 mm. Seeds 20-32 per fruit, ellipsoidal, 1-1.5 x 0.3-0.5 mm.

Fl.Per.: June-August.

Syntypes: In Himalaya occidentali temperata et alpina. Kunawar, Kishtwar et Kashmir, alt 8000-12000 ped., T. Thomson, Lance s.n. (K!), Kishtwar, alt. 12000-14000 ped. T. Thomson s.n. (K!).

Grows between 3000-4300 m on rocky ledges, dry sandy and grassy slopes; Distribution: Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (Kumaon), Nepal, China (Xizang, Xinjiang) and Mongolia.

Perennial dioecious herb. Root robust, branched. Rhizome thick, elongated or stout 1-3 cm thick, nearly obconical. Scaly radical leaves on the apical part of the rhizome. Flowering stems 1-2, rarely 5-10 on each rhizome, simple, erect, glabrous, 5-100 cm high, 1-5 mm thick at anthesis, dead flowering stems deciduous.
Cauline leaves, alternate, sessile or shortly petiolate, elliptic, oblong-ovate, obovate, entire-remotely serrate, obtuse or acute, glabrous, 1-9.5 x 0.4-4.5 cm. Inflorescence terminal, many-flowered corymb, bracteate. Bracts similar to the cauline leaves. Flowers usually 5-merous, unisexual, pedicel 2-5 mm long. Calyx 1.5-8 x 0.3-1.2 mm, lobes basally connate, glabrous, purplish, linear-lanceolate, narrowly triangular, entire, obtuse. Petals glabrous, entire, dark purplish-red, obovate to ovate, 2-4 x 1-2 mm in male, oblong to oblong-ovate, 1.5-4 x 0.5-1.5 mm in female. Stamens 10, as long as petals, in two whorls, basifixed, epipetalous 1.5-3.5 mm long, alternipetalous 2-4 mm long. Pistillodes 0.8-2 x 0.5-1 mm, style indistinct in male. Carpels 3.5-9 x 1-2 mm, style 0.2-0.3 mm long, ovules 10-16 per locule. Nectar scales oblong, 0.5-1.2 x 0.3-0.8 mm. Follicles 5-12 x 1.5-2 mm. Seeds 10-16 per fruit, ellipsoid, apex round, brown, 1.4-2.5 x 0.3-0.5 mm.

Fl.Per.: July-September.

Type: Nepal, Gosain Than (=Gosainkund), Wallich 7229 (BM!).

Grows from 2750-3700 m on rocks, crevices and grassy slopes; Distribution: Pakistan, India (Kumaon), Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Myanmar and S. W. China (Xizang, Yunnan and Sichuan).

From the above, it is clear that there is a wide variation in the size and serrate nature of the leaves.
I think it is closest to Rhodiola bupleuroides (Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thomson) S. H. Fu only.

Thank you very much for sharing the comparative notes on both sps. Yes, it is close to Rhodiola bupleuroides.

I am followed this site also for Rhodiola heterodonta.

https://valleyofflowers.info/flowers-found-in-valley-of-flowers/rhodiola-heterodonta/

Thia is a wrong identification as per discussions at Rhodiola heterodonta from Paddar valley J&K

Ok dear …, I am agree with you.

Thank you very much for providing the link

References:
POWO specimen- one, Wikimedia Commons, and FOI The Plant List Ver.1.1 Tropicos Flora of China Flora of Pakistan Annotated checklist of Flowering plants of Nepal

Updated on September 21, 2026

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