Pilea squamosa var. sparsa C. J. Chen, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 2(3): 73. 1982.

Herbs perennial, robust, stoloniferous, dioecious, rarely monoecious. Stems gray green, often branched, with several longitudinal angles when dry, to 1.2 m tall, woody at base, succulent distally, covered with dense brownish squamae. Stipules persistent, triangular, ca. 1 mm, membranous; petiole unequal in length, 0.5-5 cm, densely squamose; leaf blade black-brown when dry, oblong-lanceolate, ovate- or obovate-lanceolate, rarely elliptic-oblong, unequal in size, major ones 8.5-17 × 3-7 cm , minor ones 3-7 × 1.5-3 cm, papery, 3-veined, elevated on both surfaces, lateral veins many, subtransverse, distinctly reticulate, outer secondary veins anastomosing by margin, brown and densely squamose along veins, adaxial surface sparsely squamose, cystoliths conspicuous on both surfaces, base obliquely rounded, rarely broadly cuneate, margin finely crenate, apex caudate-acuminate, acumen serrulate. Inflorescences solitary; male inflorescence a paniculate cyme, 1-2 cm, densely squamose and sometimes puberulent on peduncle. Female inflorescence not seen. Male flowers shortly pedicellate, in bud ca. 1 mm; perianth lobes 4, apex obtuse, densely squamose abaxially; stamens 4; rudimentary ovary small. Fl. Oct-Apr.

Further collecting has shown that var. sparsa should not be recognized.

Warm wide-leaved forests, or sunny dry slopes; 1900-2500 m. Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Nepal, Sikkim].