楼梯草 lou ti cao

Elatostema bijiangense W. T. Wang; E. umbellatum (Siebold & Zuccarini) Blume var. majus Maximowicz.

Herbs perennial, monoecious or dioecious, 20-60 cm tall. Stems ascending or erect, usually simple, glabrous or sparsely puberulent. Leaves alternate; nanophylls absent; stipules narrowly linear or narrowly triangular, 3-5 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous, with cystoliths; petiole 0-2 mm; leaf blade obliquely oblanceolate-oblong or oblong, 4.5-16(-19) × 2-4.5(-6) cm, herbaceous, major basal lateral veins absent and venation pinnate, abaxial surface glabrous or sparsely puberulent along nerves, adaxial surface sparsely strigillose, cystoliths conspicuous, dense; base with broader half rounded, margin dentate, apex cuspidate. Male inflorescences solitary or in pairs, simple, 3-9 mm in diam.; peduncle (4-)7-20(-32) mm; receptacle obscure; bracts connate, ca. 2 mm, glabrous; bracteoles linear. Female inflorescences solitary or in pairs, 30-flowered or more, 1.5-4(-14) mm in diam.; peduncle 0-1 mm; receptacle 0.5-2(-5) mm in diam.; bracts ovate or triangular; bracteoles linear. Male flowers 5-merous. Achenes ovoid, ribbed. Fl. May-Oct.

Rocks along valley streamsides, forests, thickets; 200-3200 m. S Anhui, Fujian, S Gansu, N Guangdong, W Guangxi, Guizhou, SW Henan, W Hubei, Hunan, S Jiangsu, Jiangxi, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, NE Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, S Korea].

This whole plant is used medicinally, known as 赤车使者 (chi che shi zhe).