菱叶楼梯草 ling ye lou ti cao

Elatostema caveanum Grierson & Long.

Herbs perennial, monoecious, 11-16 cm tall, glabrous. Stems ascending or erect, simple. Leaves alternate; nanophylls absent; stipules lanceolate-linear or subulate, 3-5 × 0.3-0.5 mm, without cystoliths; petiole absent; leaf blade obliquely rhombic, 2-4.5 × 0.5-1.5 cm, herbaceous, major basal lateral veins both arising at base of leaf blade, cystoliths conspicuous, dense; base obliquely cuneate, margin serrulate, apex acuminate. Male inflorescences solitary, simple, ca. 8 mm in diam.; peduncle 15-17 mm; receptacle very small; bracts connate, 2-2.5 mm; bracteoles linear. Female inflorescences solitary, 30-flowered or more, 1-2 mm in diam.; peduncle 0-1 mm; receptacle very small, obscure; bracts narrowly lanceolate. Male flowers 4-merous. Fl. Dec.

Mixed forests in mountains; 1300-1500 m. SE Yunnan [Bhutan, Sikkim].