短柱蜡瓣花 duan zhu la ban hua

Shrubs; young branches glabrous, with minute, white lenticels; buds narrowly ovoid, 8–10 mm, glabrous, scales ovate. Stipules narrowly oblong, 13–15 × 3–4 mm, abaxially villous, adaxially glabrous; petiole 5–10 mm, glabrous; leaf blade obovate or obovate-rounded, 3–7 × 2.5–5 cm, abaxially drying grayish, initially villous along veins, glabrescent, adaxially drying dark green, base almost symmetrical, cordate, margin serrate above middle of leaf, teeth mucronate, apex obtuse and mucronate or acute; lateral veins 6–8 on each side. Inflorescence 1.5–2 cm, 14–18-flowered, peduncle ca. 1 cm, tomentose, with 1 or 2 basal leaves; involucral bracts 4–5, scalelike, ovate-rounded, 1–1.2 cm, abaxially pubescent with yellow-brown hairs, adaxially villous; floral bract ovate, 3–4 mm, pubescent; bracteoles oblong, 1.2–1.5 mm. Floral cup glabrous. Sepals nearly rounded, equal to floral cup. Petals broadly spatulate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, base clawed. Stamens 2.5–3 mm; disk scales 2-parted, apex obtuse, somewhat shorter than sepals. Ovary superior, glabrous; styles 1–1.5 mm. Capsules 5–6 mm, glabrous; persistent styles ca. 1 mm. Seeds 3–4 mm. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. Jul–Aug.

Forests; ca. 1200 m. NW and NE Yunnan.