贵州杜根藤 gui zhou du gen teng

Ruellia repens Linnaeus var. kouytcheensis H. Léveillé, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 13: 175. 1914; Calophanoides kouytcheensis (H. Léveillé) H. S. Lo.

Herbs to 40 cm tall. Stems basally decumbent and rooting at nodes. Petiole 1-2.5 cm; leaf blade oblong to rhombic, 5.5-11.5 × 3.5-5.5 cm, membranous, both surfaces pubescent especially along veins, secondary veins 6 or 7 on each side of midvein, base cuneate and decurrent onto petiole, margin entire or sometimes apically undulate-serrate, apex acuminate to subcaudate. Spikes axillary, ca. 1 cm, 1-3(-5)-flowered; bracts with a 1-2 mm petiole, obovate to circular, 7-8 × 4-5 mm, veins ca. 3 on each side of midvein, base broadly cuneate, apex retuse or rounded; bracteoles subulate, 1-2 mm. Calyx ca. 1 cm, 5-lobed almost to base; lobes lanceolate, subequal, outside white laterally, green along midvein, and pubescent. Corolla white, ca. 1.4 cm; lower lip patently 3-lobed; upper lip erect, 2-lobed. Staminal filaments ca. 5 mm, glabrous; anther thecae oblong, superposed, lower one smaller and with a white spur at base. Ovary glabrous; style ca. 9 mm, glabrous; stigma capitate, slightly enlarged. Capsule and seeds not seen. Fl. Aug-Oct.

● Limestone hills, thickets; 800-1300 m. Guizhou, Yunnan.

Justicia kouytcheensis is very similar to J. quadrifaria, and the putative distinctions between them require additional studies.