刺萼参 ci e shen

Plants diffuse, glabrous throughout. Roots up to 5 mm in diam. Stems up to 40 cm, multi-branched. Leaves petiolate; petiole 5-10 mm; blade abaxially green-gray, adaxially green, elliptic, 5-20 × 3-15 mm, base narrowly cuneate, margin pinnatipartite nearly to middle vein or to middle, apex obtuse. Pedicels 1-5 cm. Calyx lobes ovate-lanceolate, 2-6 × 1-3 mm (lobules excluded). Corolla purple-blue, 3-4.5 mm. Stamens ca. 1.5 mm; anthers narrowly oblong, ca. 1 mm. Style ca. 1 mm; stigma segments linear, recurved. Capsule globose, 3-5 mm in diam., superior part conical, up to 2 mm. Seeds minute, ca. 0.3 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun-Jul. 2n = 16*.

● Herb communities in stony places; ca. 300 m. Hubei (Yunxi).