Didymocarpus auricula S. Moore, J. Bot. 13: 229. 1875; Chirita sericea H. Léveillé & Vaniot (1906), not Ridley (1905); D. sericeus H. Léveillé (1906), not Ridley (1896); Oreocharis esquirolii H. Léveillé (p. 447, not p. 329); O. leveilleana Fedde; O. sericea H. Léveillé.

Leaf blade sometimes slightly falcate, narrowly to broadly elliptic to ovate or obovate, 2-12 X 1-5 cm, adaxially woolly or sericeous to glabrescent, base sometimes oblique, cuneate to cordate, margin serrate to subentire or serrulate to crenulate. Peduncle sparsely brownish woolly; bracts narrowly ovate to narrowly lanceolate, 3-10 X 1-2 mm, brown woolly. Pedicel glabrescent to sparsely woolly. Calyx segments narrowly triangular to lanceolate, 3-6 mm, outside densely brownish pubescent, apex acuminate. Fl. May-Sep, fr. Aug-Nov.

Oreocharis sericea has been included by most authors in O. auricula. Pan (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 25: 275-276. 1987) recognized O. sericea, citing geography as well as differences in indument on the adaxial leaf surface (densely appressed puberulent in O. auricula vs. sericeous-villous in O. sericea), the amount of lobing of the adaxial corolla lip, and size of those lobes relative to lobes of abaxial corolla lip (adaxial lip lobes divided from the base to below the middle and equalling or nearly equalling those of the abaxial lip vs. adaxial lip lobes divided only to the middle and shorter than those of the abaxial lip respectively). The distributions of these species overlap throughout most of their ranges, and the characters used form continua as well. Therefore, it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish these taxa. The best character for distinguishing them appears to be the corolla lobes; however, fruiting specimens cannot be determined. Because of these difficulties we recognize only one species, O. auricula.

Oreocharis sericea has frequently been cited as a combination; however, it is not a combination because both Chirita sericea H. Léveillé & Vaniot and Didymocarpus sericeus H. Léveillé are later homonyms.

* Shady and damp rocks by streams, in valleys, or under forests on slopes; 200-1800 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan (Xiushan Xian).