兰屿霉草 lan yu mei cao

Stems 6-12 cm tall. Scalelike leaves oblong, ca. 1 mm. Inflorescences 1-5 cm, 5-30-flowered. Flowers unisexual. Pedicels (4-)7-9 mm, spreading; bracts lanceolate, ca. 1 mm. Perianth segments 6. Male flower with segments oblong, ca. 1.3 mm, apex with stipitate globose appendage; stamens (2 or)3, anthers 4-thecous. Female flower with segments ca. 0.5 mm, apex without appendage; carpels 20-30; styles subapical, awl-shaped, apex papillate, exceeding ovary. Follicles ca. 2 mm in diam. Seeds ca. 0.7 mm.

Forests. Taiwan (Lan Yu) [Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines; Pacific islands (Micronesia, W Polynesia, Solomon Islands)].

According to Jin Murata (pers. comm.), this taxon may be the same as Sciaphila nana Blume (Mus. Bot. 1: 322. 1851), described from Java. One of us (Guo) notes that it is better to keep these separate at this time, awaiting further research.