川藏蛇菰 chuan zang she gu

Balanophora fargesii Credit: Harvard University Herbaria

Bivolva fargesii Tieghem, Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 9, 6: 206. 1907; Balanophora involucrata J. D. Hooker var. rubra J. D. Hooker.

Plants monoecious. Rhizome yellowish brown, branched or unbranched, surface with granular warts and yellow stellate lenticels; branches urceolate, 2-3 cm in diam. Scapes yellow to orange, 7-12 cm, base subtended by a distinct rhizome sheath. Leaves connate into a single sheathlike whorl, surrounding middle of scape. Inflorescences ovoid to subglobose, 1-3 cm in diam. Male flowers: clustered basally on inflorescence, ca. 3 mm in diam., pedicellate, subtended by rudimentary bracts. Perianth lobes 3, broadly deltoid, 1.5-2.5 mm , ± spreading. Synandria subdiscoid; anthers 3, transversely dehiscent. Spadicles obconic, shortly stiped, apically truncate; cuticular ridges of apical cells labyrinthlike. Female flowers: only on main axis of inflorescences. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Pinus forests; 2700-3100 m. Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan (Dali) [Bhutan].