Aneilema spectabile Kurz, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 40: 77. 1871; A. loureiroi Hance; Murdannia loureiroi (Hance) R. S. Rao & Kammathy.

Herbs perennial. Roots numerous, mostly ca. 2 cm long, fusiform thickened at end into tubers ca. 1 cm in diam., densely lanate, a few roots longer, not thickened. Rhizomes absent. Stem 1, erect, simple, 8--30 cm × 1.5--3 mm, glabrous or rather densely hirsutulous, with 1 or 2 leaves. Leaf sheaths pubescent; basal leaves several in a rosette, leaf blade linear, 5--15 × 1--2 cm, margin undulate, ciliate proximally; cauline leaves with blade similar in shape and size to that of basal leaves, or smaller. Flowers several, in fascicles in axils of involucral bracts; involucral bracts several, forming 4--8 cm long spicate inflorescence, sheathlike, basal one sometimes ± leaflike, but much smaller than leaves, usually 1--2.5 cm, sparsely hirsute; pedicels to 2 cm, jointed above middle, with a sheathlike, membranous bracteole at middle, capitate glandular. Sepals lan--ceolate, 5--6 mm, persistent. Petals purple, purple-red, or blue, orbicular. Fertile stamens 2; filaments lanate proximally; staminodes 3; antherodes 3-sect. Capsule broadly ellipsoid, trigonous, 5--6 mm. Seeds ca. 4 per valve, gray. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jun--Jul.

Forests, thickets; near sea level to 1600 m. Guangdong (Bei Jiang, Luofu Shan), Hainan (Zhanxian), S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna Dai Zu Zizhizhou) [Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].