莲华池寄生 lian hua chi ji sheng

Scurrula tsaii (S. T. Chiu) Yuen P. Yang & S. Y. Lu.

Young stems tomentose, becoming almost glabrous, hairs light orange, stellate. Leaves subopposite; petiole 7-10 mm; leaf blade ovate to ovate-oblong, yellowish green, 5-6 × 3-4 cm, leathery, both surfaces sparsely stellately hairy, glabrescent, lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs, base cuneate, apex obtuse. Umbels 1 or 2 together, sometimes at leafless nodes, 2-5-flowered; bracts triangular, minute. Calyx obconic, tomentose, limb annular. Mature bud 2-2.8 cm, tip not enlarged. Corolla red with green tip, slightly curved, nearly glabrous, tube inflated, lobes linear-spatulate, 4-6 mm, reflexed; anthers 2.5-3.5 mm, multilocellate. Style to 2.6 cm. Stigma capitate. Berry cylindric, glabrous, apex truncate.

* Low elevations. S Taiwan.

Recorded hosts include Camellia oleifera, Machilus zuihoensis, Prunus mume, and Symplocos cochinchinensis.