穿心草 chuan xin cao

Euphorbia lucidissima H. Léveillé & Vaniot, Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2, 6: 763. 1906; Euphorbiopsis lucidissima (H. Léveillé & Vaniot) H. Léveillé.

Plants 10-30 cm tall, glabrous, from woody rootstock, apparently perennial. Stems woody at base, erect, much branched, obscurely 4angled. Basal leaves short petiolate; leaf blade ovate; middle to upper stem leaves with paired blades orbicular, perfoliate, 0.7-2 cm in diam., reticulate veins prominent. Cymes pseudodichotomous, many flowered; bracts foliose. Flowers 5merous. Calyx campanulate, 5-6 mm, tube membranous; lobes triangular, 1-1.5 mm, apex acute. Corolla white or pale yellow, campanulate, 6-8 mm; lobes oblong-spatulate, 2-2.5 mm, margin entire, apex obtuse. Stamens subequal; filaments filiform, 1.5-2 mm; anthers ellipsoid, 0.7-1 mm. Style filiform, 2-2.5 mm; stigma lobes orbicular. Capsules broadly ellipsoid, 4-5 mm. Seeds light brown, 0.4-0.5 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug.

* Limestone slopes. Guangxi, Guizhou

The relationship of Canscora lucidissima to the other species of Canscora needs further investigation. The superficial similarity to some species of Euphorbia sect. Esula is quite striking.