紫背鹿銜草

Aneilema divergens C. B. Clarke, Commel. et Cyrt. Beng. 28. tab. 16. 1874; C. B. Clarke in DC., Monogr. Phanerog. 3: 203. 1881; Brown, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36: 151. 1903 Aneilema sinicum auct. non Ker-Gawl. (1822): Henry, List Pl. Formos. 98 (Henry 899). 1896.

Perennial robust herbs, ca. 60 cm tall. Roots fibrous, thickened. Stems simple, erect, unbranched, internodes to 5 cm. Leaves sessile, blades linear to lanceolate, reduced towards inflorescence, ca. 7-18.5 cm long, ca. 0.7-1.5 cm wide, apex acuminate. Inflorescence a terminal thyrse, composed of 1-4 cymes, 1-2 flowering shoots from axils of the leaves; bracteoles persistent, deltoid, infundibuliform, perfoliate, ca. 2 mm long; pedicels ca. 3 mm long. Sepals lanceolate to elliptic, boat-shaped, 5-6 mm long, apex obtuse.

Pingtung: Bankinsing, Henry 899 (HAST, copy).

India, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan, China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi). Taiwan, only found in Bankinsing. Flowering in Oct. (just record from specimens).

本種植物在台灣僅有一次的採集記錄，為Henry採自Bankinsing，但確切生育地不詳。依據Clarke (1874) 描述本種植物分布於Khasia海拔1500-1800 m，Hong (1997) 描述其分布於中國大陸東南省份海拔1500-3400 m的林下、林緣或溼潤草地等記載，推測在台灣應分布於屏東萬巒—中央山脈約1500公尺處。早期名錄皆記載此分類群為Aneilema sinicum Ldl., A. sinicum即M. simplex的異名，M. simplex具基生葉，花序長在花莖 (flowering shoots) 上，而本種植物植株挺直，較省產同屬的其他種類高大，不具基生葉，密錐花序頂生，兩者在形態上易於區別。

Phenology: perennial herbs, evergreen

Roors form: roots fibrous, fleshy

Stems form: monomorphic stem

Monomorphic stems habit: erect

Rooting at nodes or not: absent

Lateral shoots: absent

Phyllotaxis: spiral phyllotaxis

Leaves: petiole: sessile

Leaves: shape (if dimorphic leaves, selected by rosette leaves): lanceolate, linear

Leaves: apex: acuminate

Leaves: length (cm): 7-18.5

Leaves: width (cm): 0.7-1.5

Leaves indumentum: upper surface: glabrous, pubscent

If upper surface glabrous, leaves indumentum: margin: glabrous

Prophyll: sheathing, apex bifid

Inflorescence: take plance: terminal

Inflorescence: thyrse

Bracts: shape: ovate

Corolla: actinomorphic: petal 3, base free, equal or subequal

Flowers: bisexual

Sepals: sepal 3, equal

Sepals: color: greenish

Sepals: base: free

Sepals: shape: lanceolate, elliptic

Sepals: length (if dimorphic sepals, selected by anticous two) (mm): 5-6

Flowers: color: pink, purple, or blue

Petals: shape: obovate-orbicular

Stamens form: dimorphic: fertile stamens 3

Ovarys: indumentum: glabrous

Capsules: dehiscence: dehiscent

Capsules: shape: ellipsoid, trigonous, obovoid

Capsules: indumentum: glabrous

Capsule locules seeds: number: 3-5

Capsules: length (mm): 6.5-8