Ruellia dorsiflora Retzius, Observ. Bot. 6: 31. 1791; Aetheilema anisophyllum (Jussieu) E. Meyer (1837), not R. Brown (1810); A. parviflorum Sprengel; A. reniforme Nees; Blechum anisophyllum Jussieu; Micranthus dorsiflorus (Retzius) C. E. C. Fischer; M. oppositifolius J. C. Wendland; Phaulopsis oppositifolia (J. C. Wendland) Lindau; P. parviflora Willdenow, nom. illeg. superfl.

Herbs 30-50 cm tall, slightly anisophyllous. Stems ascending, 4-angled, brown retrorsely pubescent. Petiole 4-6 cm; leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 7.5-11 × 3.5-5 cm, papery, abaxially pubescent along veins, adaxially hirsute, secondary veins ca. 6 on each side of midvein, base cuneate to attenuate and slightly oblique, margin entire, apex acuminate. Spikes terminal, 3-6 cm; bracts orbicular to reniform, ca. 1 × 1.4 cm, gland-tipped pubescent. Calyx lobes outside gland-tipped pubescent; posterior lobe ovate-elliptic, 8-10 mm, bractlike, other lobes linear to subulate and 5-6 mm. Corolla white, ca. 6 mm; lower lip 3-lobed, lobes ovate-oblong and 1-2.4 × 0.6-1 mm; upper lip narrow, 2-lobed. Staminal filaments glabrous. Ovary apex sparsely gland-tipped pubescent; style pilose. Capsule ellipsoid, ca. 6 mm, apex gland-tipped pubescent. Seeds ca. 2 × 1.5 mm. Fl. Nov-May, fr. Feb-Jul. 2n = 56, ca. 64, 70.

Collections identified as Phaulopsis dorsiflora from South Africa and Madagascar remain questionable as to their source.

Thickets, roadsides, along streams; 300-800 m. S and W Yunnan [Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam; ?South Africa, Indian Ocean islands (Réunion), ?Madagascar].