荛花 rao hua

Diplomorpha canescens (Wallich ex Meisner) C. A. Meyer; Wikstroemia inamoena Meisner.

Shrubs 1.6-2 m tall, often much branched toward apex. Primary branches purple-black, turning grayish brown, pubescent; leaf buds subglobose, white pubescent. Leaves alternate; petiole short, 1.5-2.5 mm; leaf blade green adaxially, slightly whitish abaxially, lanceolate, 2.5-5.5 × 0.8-2.5 cm, abaxially villous, adaxially appressed sericeous, base broadly cuneate or rounded, apex acute; lateral veins 4-7 pairs, conspicuous, reticulate veins obvious abaxially. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, many, capitate, elongating into racemes after anthesis, 4-10-flowered; peduncle 1-2 cm, sometimes with 2 tiny leaflike bracts. Pedicel persistent, ca. 2 mm, articulate. Calyx yellow, ca. 15 mm, 8-ribbed inside, exterior gray villous, similar to abaxial leaf surface; lobes 4, oblong, ca. 2 × 1 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens 8, inserted above middle of calyx tube; filaments very short; anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Disk scales 1-4, unequal in size, margin incised. Ovary clavate, ca. 5 × 1 mm, stipitate, pubescent; style short, completely hidden by hairs; stigma capitate, papillose. Drupe dry. Fl. autumn. 2n = 12, 18, 20, 26.

Shrubby slopes, among rocks; 1000-2800(-3500) m. Xizang [Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan].