吊竹梅 diao zhu mei

Zebrina pendula Schnizlein.

Herbs perennial. Stems prostrate or decumbent, often forming dense mats or colonies, branched, rooting at nodes, glabrous or pilose. Leaves alternate, sessile; leaf sheath 8--12 × 5--8 mm, thin, membranous, long-ciliate at mouth, otherwise glabrous or sparsely villous; leaf blade with 2 longitudinal, silver stripes adaxially, purple abaxially, ovate, 3--10 × 1.5--3.2 cm, somewhat fleshy, glabrous or sparsely pilose on both surfaces, base rounded, apex acute or acuminate. Flowers in clusters subtended by 2 large, leaflike, narrow, ciliate bracts. Sepals lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, ca. 5 × 1.5 mm. Petals rose pink, ovate, ca. 6 mm, apex obtuse. Seeds rugulose.

Naturalized. Fujian, SW Guangxi (Longzhou Xian), Hong Kong, SW Taiwan (Gaoxiong Shi) [native to tropical America].

Commonly cultivated in S China for its attractive flowers. The leaf is applied to reduce swellings.