紫花络石 zi hua luo shi

Maesa scandens H. Léveillé; Melodinus chaffanjonii H. Léveillé; Periploca astacus H. Léveillé.

Lianas woody, to 10 m, glabrous except for young shoots and inflorescences. Stems densely lenticellate. Petiole 3-5 mm; leaf blade obovate, narrowly obovate, or narrowly elliptic, 8-15 X 3-4.5 cm, leathery, base cuneate or rounded, apex acute, abruptly caudate, or acuminate; lateral veins to 15 pairs. Cymes axillary or sometimes subterminal, to 3 cm. Pedicel 3-8 mm. Sepals appressed to corolla tube, ovate, obtuse, basal glands ca. 10. Corolla purplish, tube ca. 5 mm; lobes narrowly obovate, 5-7 mm. Stamens inserted at base of corolla tube, included. Follicles connate, cylindric to fusiform, 10-15 X 1-1.5 cm, glabrous. Seeds broadly ovate, ca. 1.5 cm, coma ca. 5 cm. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Aug-Oct.

* Brushwoods, sunny open forests; 500-1500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang

A fine, strong fiber is obtained from the inner bark and used in making paper. The whole plant is used in Guangxi as medicine for the treatment of injury, pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchitis, and rheumatalgia.