87. Chirita lachenensis C. B. Clarke in A. & C. de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 5: 118. 1883.
卧茎唇柱苣苔 wo jing chun zhu ju tai
Chirita clarkei J. D. Hooker.
Perennials. Rhizome internodes inconspicuous. Stems absent or prostrate and rooting at nodes, puberulent. Leaves 2-8, basal, sometimes on stem and alternate or opposite, widely spaced; petiole 2-18 cm X 1-2 mm; leaf blade ovate to narrowly ovate or rarely oblong, 5-14 X 3.4-9 cm, herbaceous, adaxially puberulent, eglandular, abaxially pubescent only along veins, base oblique, cuneate to cordate on 1 side, rounded to cordate on other, margin dentate to serrate, apex acute to obtuse or abruptly acuminate; lateral veins 6-8 on each side of midrib, conspicuous. Cymes 1-4-flowered; peduncle 4.5-17(-21) cm, puberulent to villous; bract 1, narrowly ovate or oblong to spatulate, 1.8-7 X 1-3 mm, sparsely puberulent to villous, margin sparsely denticulate to subentire, apex acute. Pedicel 2-4 cm, sparsely puberulent to villous. Calyx 0.9-1.2 cm, 5-sect from near base to 5-lobed from near middle; tube 1.6-7 mm; lobes equal, lanceolate-linear to ovate, 3-10 mm, outside puberulent to sparsely villous, inside glabrous, margin entire, apex subulate-acuminate to acute. Corolla white or tinged pink to blue, 3-4.5 cm, outside puberulent and sometimes villous, inside apically sparsely puberulent; tube funnelform-tubular, 2-3 X 0.8-1.2 cm; adaxial lip 6-10 mm; abaxial lip 1.2-1.5 cm. Filaments ca. 8 mm, puberulent; anthers fused by entire adaxial surfaces, ca. 3 mm, glabrous; staminodes 2, ca. 2 mm. Pistil 1.6-2.5 cm, puberulent; ovary 1-1.8 cm. Stigma suboblate, ca. 3 mm, undivided or 2-lobed. Capsule often at 90 to peduncle, 6-12 cm. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Oct-Dec.
Montane broad-leaved forests; 2300-3100 m. SE Xizang (Mêdog Xian), W Yunnan (Tengchong Xian) [Bhutan, NE India, N Myanmar, Sikkim].
After publication of the family treatment for the Flora of China,
this was treated as Henckelia lachenensis (C. B. Clarke) D. J. Middleton & Mich. Möller (Taxon 60: 776. 2011).