13. Illigera aromatica S. Z. Huang & S. L. Mo, Guihaia. 5: 17. 1985.
香青藤 xiang qing teng
Lianas, aromatic throughout. Stem gray-brown, to 10 cm in diam.; bark 4-8 mm thick, longitudinally fissured. Branchlets gray, glabrous, striate. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 7-11 cm, glabrous; leaflets: petiolules 0.7-2 cm, puberulous; blade abaxially greenish, adaxially green, suborbicular, 5-11.5 × 4-9.5 cm, subleathery, abaxially barbate at vein axils but otherwise glabrous, adaxially glabrous, lateral veins 3- or 4-paired, base rounded, apex acute; lateral leaflets smaller, base unequal. Cymose panicles axillary or terminal, shorter than leaves, 5-10 cm; peduncles and pedicels pubescent; bracts oblong, ca. 2 × 1 mm, pubescent. Flowers rose. Outer tepals ovate-lanceolate, ca. 10 × 3 mm, adaxially densely glandular pubescent. Inner tepals similar to outer ones, ca. 8 × 2.5 mm, adaxially densely pubescent. Stamens ca. 8 mm; filaments curved around anthers in bud, densely glandular pubescent; appendages navicular, ca. 2.5 mm. Ovary ca. 2 mm, densely pubescent; style ca. 6 mm, densely glandular pubescent. Fruit unknown. Fl. Oct-Nov.
● Sparse forests or forest margins on limestone hills; 500-700 m. SW Guangxi.
The stems are used medicinally for treating rheumatic arthralgia, coughs, indigestion, and injuries from falls. It is said that simple crystals (C18H17NO4) distilled from the stem solution reduce fever, relax muscles, alleviate pain, and serve as a local anesthetic.