喜雨草属 xi yu cao shu

Herbs perennial. Rhizomes forming woody tubers. Stems sweetly aromatic. Verticillasters 6-flowered, in terminal racemes, bracts lanceolate, bracteoles minute. Calyx campanulate, 11-veined, 2-lipped, villous annulate on throat, dilated in fruit, ± membranous; upper lip 2-toothed, teeth lanceolate, apex acute; lower lip ca. 1/2 as long as upper lip, 3-toothed, teeth circular, apex acute. Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip somewhat galeate, deeply 2-lobed, lobes ovate; lower lip ca. 1/2 as long, 3-lobed, lobes subequal, subcircular, margin undulate. Stamens 4, included, inserted at middle of corolla tube; anterior filaments longer; anthers ellipsoid/circular, cells 2, subparallel, free. Style exserted, apex equally 2-cleft. Nutlets brownish, ovoid, flattened, smooth.

Monotypic: endemic to China.

Lower Taxon

• Ombrocharis dulcis Handel-Mazzetti