虾子花 xia zi hua

Lythrum fruticosum Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 2: 1045. 1759; Grislea punctata Buchanan-Hamilton ex Smith; L. hunteri Candolle.

Shrubs, 1-5 m tall. Stems and branches pendulous, long, pubescent when young, becoming glabrous. Leaves lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 3-14 × 1-4 cm, leathery, abaxially sparsely to densely tomentose and orange to black glandular punctate, adaxially glabrous, base rounded to subcordate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences condensed axillary shoots of 1-15 flowers. Floral tube light red, red-orange, or deep red, greenish basally, narrowly cyathiform, 9-15 mm; sepals oblong-ovate or deltate, 2-3 mm; epicalyx segments scarcely present. Petals 6, thin, linear-lanceolate, 1-5 mm, ca. as long as sepals. Stamens 12 , inserted above ovary base, long-exserted. Ovary 2-loculed; ovules 100+. Capsules elongate, elliptic. Seeds reddish brown, ca. 1.5 mm. Fl. Jan-May (mainly Mar-Apr), fr. Apr-May. 2n = 16.

Common in forests and on open slopes. Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand].