淫羊藿 yin yang huo

Epimedium rotundatum K. S. Hao.

Herbs, 20-60 cm tall. Rhizome short, clumped, 3-5 mm in diam. Leaves basal and cauline, usually biternate, 9-foliolate, rarely 5-foliolate; leaflets abaxially glaucous, adaxially usually shiny, ovate or broadly ovate, 1.5-7.5 × 1-6 cm, papery or thickly so, abaxially glabrous or scarcely pubescent, adaxially with conspicuous reticulate veins, base deeply cordate, terminal leaflet with equal rounded lobes, lateral leaflets slightly oblique with outer lobes large and acute or rounded, inner lobe smaller and rounded, margin spinose-serrate, apex rounded or acute to acuminate. Flowering stem with 2 opposite usually biternate leaves. Panicle 10-35 cm, loosely 20-50-flowered; rachis and pedicel glandular. Pedicel 5-20 mm. Flowers white or pale yellow, ca. 1.5 cm in diam. Outer sepals dark green, ovate-triangular, 1-3 mm; inner sepals white or pale yellow, lanceolate, ca. 10 × 4 mm. Petals much shorter than inner sepals, with slight lamina and blunt spurs; spur narrow, conical, 2-3 mm. Stamens exserted, 3-4 mm; anthers ca. 2 mm, valved. Capsules ca. 1 cm; style 2-3 mm, rostrate. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jun-Aug.

● Forests, thickets, slopes; 600-3500 m. Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan.