颅果草 luo guo cao

Herbs perennial. Stems usually 1-3, erect, branched above, to 20 cm tall, hirsute and short appressed pubescent. Leaves sessile, spatulate-linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 2-6 cm × 6-10 mm, short appressed pubescent, less so abaxially, apex obtuse to subobtuse. Cymes centered on upper part of stems; bracts subulate, ca. as long as calyx. Flowers short pedicellate, crowded. Calyx lobes linear, ca. 5 mm, to 1 cm in fruit, hirsute, short appressed pubescent. Corolla blue, ca. 1 cm; throat unappendaged; limb spreading, ovate to oblong, ca. 3 mm. Stamens inserted above middle; filaments ca. 7 mm, much exserted, scalelike inward, inflated at attachment point of filament base; anthers ca. 2 mm. Style included or slightly exserted; stigma obscure. Nutlets ca. 4.5 × 2.5 mm, abaxial cupular emergence ca. 4.5 mm, marginal wing finely dentate; attachment scar below middle abaxially. Seeds ca. 3 mm. Fl. Jun.

Arid canyons; ca. 1700 m. Nei Mongol, N Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia].