匍枝马蓝 pu zhi ma lan

Subshrubs to 20 cm tall, isophyllous. Stems ascending, usually rooting at nodes, glabrous but with cystoliths. Petiole 3-15(-20) mm, glabrous; leaf blade elliptic, (3-)5-10 × (1-)2-2.5 cm, both surfaces with prominent cystoliths, abaxially pale green to whitish and sparsely pubescent, adaxially pubescent but soon glabrescent, secondary veins 5-7 on each side of midvein, base decurrent onto petiole, margin crenate to crenate-serrate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences terminal, spikes, 1-2 cm; rachis pilose; sterile bracts at base of inflorescence leaflike; floral bracts oblong to elliptic, 9-13 × 2-3 mm, pubescent; bracteoles oblong, ca. 8 × 1.5 mm, pilose with large-celled trichomes. Calyx lobes linear, 11-14 × ca. 1 mm, pubescent with some trichomes gland-tipped. Corolla violet, 3-3.5 cm, subventricose, outside glabrous, inside glabrous except for trichomes retaining style; tube basally cylindric and ca. 2 mm wide for ca. 1 cm then slightly curved and gradually widened to ca. 1 cm at mouth; lobes ovate, ca. 4 × 4 mm. Stamens 4, included; filaments pilose, shorter pair ca. 3 mm, longer pair ca. 6 mm; anther thecae oblong, 2.5-3 × ca. 0.8 mm; pollen type 4, requires confirmation. Ovary oblong, 3-4 mm, puberulent at tip with some gland-tipped trichomes; style ca. 3 cm, villous. Capsule narrowly oblong, ca. 13 × 3 mm, pilose, 4-seeded. Seeds orbicular in outline, ca. 3 × 3 mm, villous. Fl. Jun.

● Dry places; 1800-2400 m. Yunnan.