Herblike shrubs, perennial, rhizomatous, 10–20 cm tall. Rhizomes creeping, slender. Vertical stems slender, unbranched. Leaves opposite, often appearing as a whorl of 6 at terminal node due to compression of internodes, 2 larger and 4 smaller; smaller ones developing from axillary buds of larger leaves; leaves at lower nodes rudimentary; petiole 2–3 mm long; leaf blade obovate to ± diamond-shaped, 3.5-4.8 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, papery, veins 2 or 3, base cuneate, margin entire, apex shortly acuminate. Inflorescences compound cymes, terminal; bracts white, broadly ovate, 0.8-1.2 cm long, 0.5-1.1 cm wide, with 7 parallel veins. Flowers white, ca. 2 mm in diameter. Calyx tube obovate, ca. 1 mm, densely pubescent with grayish white appressed trichomes; teeth higher than disk. Petals reflexed, creamy white, ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm. Stamens ca. 1 mm; anthers yellowish white, narrowly ovoid. Style ca. 1 mm, glabrous. Fruit red at maturity, globose, ca. 5 mm in diameter; stones ellipsoid-ovoid.

Author(s): Wen, Jun

Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

• Comment (0)