苎麻楼梯草 zhu ma lou ti cao

Subshrubs dioecious, 25-40 cm tall. Stems ascending or erect, branched, glabrous. Leaves alternate; nanophylls absent; stipules subulate, 3-6 × 0.3 mm, glabrous, with cystoliths; petiole 1-7 mm; leaf blade obliquely elliptic, 5-12 × 2.5-5.5 cm, papery, major basal lateral veins asymmetric, 1 basal, the other arising above base, abaxial surface sparsely puberulent along veins, adaxial surface glabrous, cystoliths conspicuous, dense; base obliquely cuneate, margin dentate, apex caudate. Male inflorescences solitary or in pairs, simple, ca. 3 mm in diam., sessile; receptacle obscure; bracts connate, ca. 1.2 mm; bracteoles lanceolate. Female inflorescences solitary or in pairs, 3-6 mm in diam., sessile; receptacle 2-2.5 mm in diam.; bracts obscure; bracteoles linear. Achenes ellipsoid, 6-ribbed. Fl. Feb-May.

* Evergreen broad-leaved forests, valleys; 800-900 m. SE Xizang.