歧序楼梯草 qi xu lou ti cao

Elatostema subtrichotomum var. corniculatum W. T. Wang.

Herbs perennial, monoecious or dioecious, ca. 50 cm tall. Stems ascending or erect, simple or branched, glabrous. Leaves alternate, glabrous; nanophylls absent; stipules linear, 3-4 × 0.8-1 mm; petiole 2-14 mm; leaf blade obliquely oblong, 12-17 × 3.5-5 cm, herbaceous or nearly papery, major basal lateral veins ± absent and venation pinnate, cystoliths conspicuous, dense; base with broader half cuneate or nearly rounded, margin denticulate, apex acuminate. Male inflorescences in pairs, branched, ca. 10 mm in diam.; peduncle 2-3 mm; receptacle absent; bracts alternate, narrowly ovate or narrowly triangular, 0.8-1.2 mm. Female inflorescences in pairs, ca. 2 mm in diam., sessile; receptacle ca. 1.2 mm in diam.; bracts narrowly triangular; bracteoles lanceolate-linear. Male flowers 5-merous; perianth lobes with apex corniculate or not. Fl. Apr.

* Valley forests, streamsides, rock crevices; 1700-1900 m. N Guangdong, C Hunan, SE Yunnan.