Aneilema hookeri C. B. Clarke, Commelyn. Cyrtandr. Bengal. 28, t. 17. 1874; A. bodinieri H. Léveillé & Vaniot; ? Floscopa cavaleriei H. Léveillé & Vaniot.

Herbs perennial. Roots fibrous. Rhizomes horizontal, elongate, ca. 3 mm in diam., glabrous. Stems creeping proximally, ascending distally, sometimes branched, to 60 cm × 3--5 mm, with a line of dense hairs. Leaf sheaths hirsute in a line; leaf blade lanceolate, ca. 12 × 1--2.2 cm, glabrous, base slightly clasping, apex shortly acuminate or obtuse. Panicles terminal, of several cincinni, 2--4 cm, glabrous throughout; basal 1 or 2 involucral bracts leaflike, nearly as large as leaves, others small, less than 1 cm; bracts ca. 2 mm; pedicels straight. Sepals obovate-orbicular, ca. 4 mm. Petals pale purple to nearly white, obovate-orbicular. Fertile stamens 3; filaments lanate; staminodes 3; antherodes 3-sect. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, trigonous, 6--7 mm (excluding apiculus), acute at both ends, apiculate at apex. Seeds ca. 3 per valve, gray, red spotted. Fl. and fr. JunSep.

The original description of Floscopa cavaleriei (Mem. Soc. Natl. Acad. Cherbourg 35: 383. 1906) describes a plant with stems glabrous; leaves clasping, leaf blade narrowly lanceolate, glabrous; panicles large, divaricate; bracts minute; flowers numerous; and capsule 3-valved. These features are in accordance with those of Murdannia hookeri and the type locality (Pingfa in Guizhou) is also within the distribution area of that species. Therefore, F. cavaleriei is probably conspecific with M. hookeri.

Forests, streamsides in ravines; near sea level to 2800 m. N Fujian (Chong’an Xian), N Guangdong (Yangshan Xian), NE Guangxi (Longsheng Ge Zu Zizhixian), NE and SW Guizhou (Xingren Xian, Yinjiang Xian), SE Hunan (Yizhang Xian), C and S Sichuan, NE Yunnan (Daguan Xian, Songming Xian) [E India].