直序五膜草 zhi xu wu mo cao

Pentaphragma corniculatum Chun & F. Chun.

Plants rather densely covered with glandular hairs and these mixed with stellate hairs on young stems, petioles, abaxial surface of leaves, inflorescence axis, bracts, and abaxial surface of calyx. Rhizome oblique, elongate, robust, to 15 × 1.5 cm, ± woody. Fibrous roots ca. 2 mm in diam. Stem short, often with leaves at one side, usually with remains of petioles. Leaves petiolate; petiole 5-15 cm; leaf blade ovate or ovate-orbicular, asymmetric, 10-30 × 6-20 cm, margin entire or verrucose denticulate. Inflorescences solitary or 2 together, pedunculate, straight; peduncle with an involucre of bracts much smaller than leaves; bracts obovate, ca. 4 mm, with 1 flower at axil; pedicels 1-2 mm. Flowers ca. 1.6 cm. Calyx tube campanulate; calyx lobes ca. 5 mm, 3-veined, broader 2 ovate-orbicular, ca. 4 mm wide, other 3 long oblong, ca. 2 mm wide. Corolla white or yellow-green, ca. 9 mm, cleft for more than halfway; lobes slightly incurved, lanceolate, glabrous. Stamens: connective higher than anther cells. Stigma conic, almost without ribs. Berry ellipsoid, ca. 8 mm. Seeds ovoid, ca. 0.3 mm; testa dark brown, obviously reticulate. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Oct-Nov.

● Tropical forests in ravines, dense forests; ca. 1400 m. SW Guangdong (Xinyi), S Guangxi (Daxin, Dongxing, Shiwan Dashan), Hainan (Baisha, Baoting).

Pentaphragma spicatum should be expected in N Vietnam. The type locality (Dongxing in Guangxi Province) is close to the border.