西南沿阶草 xi nan yan jie cao

Anemarrhena mairei (H. Léveillé) H. Léveillé.

Roots numerous, long, soft, usually with fusiform, tuberous part near tip. Stem rhizomelike, elongate, stout, with dense nodes. Leaves somewhat crowded and subterminal, sessile, abaxially glaucous, grasslike or sword-shaped, 20--40 × 0.7--1.4 cm, ca. 9-veined, margin serrulate, membranous at base. Scape 10--15 cm. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 5--7 cm, densely many flowered; bracts subulate, basal one 5--7 mm. Flowers solitary or paired; pedicel 3--5 mm, articulate near middle. Tepals white to blue, ovate, 4--5 × 1.5--2 mm. Filaments ca. 0.5 mm; anthers ca. 2 mm. Style ca. 2.5 mm. Seeds bluish gray at maturity, ellipsoid to ovoid-globose, ca. 8 mm in diam. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug. 2 n = 36*.

* Forests, ravines, moist and shady places; 800--2100 m. Guizhou, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan.