台湾刺蕊草 tai wan ci rui cao

Herbs branched. Stems and branches pubescent, glabrescent. Petiole to 4.5 cm; leaf blade rhombic-lanceolate to ovate, 4-10 × 1-5 cm, ± membranous, finely strigose, adaxially glabrescent, abaxially inconspicuously glandular, base cuneate-attenuate, margin entire basally, irregularly incised toward apex, apex acute to short acuminate; lateral veins 2- or 3-paired. Spikes 2-8 cm, terminal or axillary, cymes (1-)5-8-flowered, short pedunculate or sessile, in 3's on stem and branch apices; bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate to linear, 2-3 mm, ciliate. Flowers sessile or subsessile. Calyx subtubular, ca. 4 mm, membranous, sparsely pubescent outside; teeth subulate-lanceolate, equal, ciliate, ca. 1/3 as long as calyx tube. Corolla purplish, ca. 5 mm, slightly exserted. Bearded portions of stamens included. Nutlets ovoid.

* Taiwan.