星序楼梯草 xing xu lou ti cao

Herbs perennial, monoecious or dioecious, 10-14 cm tall, glabrous. Stems ascending or erect, simple. Leaves alternate; nanophylls absent; stipules subulate, 1.5-2 × 0.1-0.2 mm, without cystoliths; petiole 0-0.5 mm; leaf blade obliquely elliptic or obovate, 4-8 × 1.5-3 cm, herbaceous, major basal lateral veins asymmetric, 1 basal, the other arising above base, cystoliths conspicuous or obscure, dense; base with broader half nearly auriculate, margin denticulate, apex cuspidate or acuminate. Male inflorescences solitary, simple, 5-7 mm in diam., sessile; receptacle obscure; bracts connate, 5-7 mm; bracteoles cymbiform-ovate. Female inflorescences solitary, 30-flowered or more, 3-4 mm in diam., sessile; receptacle small; bracts narrowly triangular or linear-lanceolate; bracteoles lanceolate-linear. Male flowers 4- or 5-merous. Fl. Feb-Mar.

* Broad-leaved forests in limestone mountains. SW Guangxi.