Elatostema sinense H. Schröter

Herbs perennial, dioecious, 20-60 cm tall. Stems ascending or erect, simple or rarely branched, crispately pubescent. Leaves alternate; nanophylls ovate to elliptic, 3-5 mm; stipules lanceolate, 4-6 × 0.8-1 mm, glabrous or ciliate, with cystoliths; petiole 1-3 mm; leaf blade obliquely elliptic or oblong, 3.5-9.9 × 1.5-3 cm, herbaceous, major basal lateral veins asymmetric, 1 basal, the other arising above base, abaxial surface sparsely puberulent, adaxial surface sparsely strigillose, cystoliths conspicuous, dense; base with broader half broadly cuneate or rounded, margin dentate, apex acuminate or caudate-acuminate. Male inflorescences solitary or in pairs, simple, 2-8 mm in diam.; peduncle 1-2.5 mm; receptacle very small or absent; bracts connate, 2-2.5 mm; bracteoles oblong or linear. Female inflorescences solitary or in pairs, 4-6 mm in diam.; receptacle small; bracts triangular; bracteoles spatulate-linear. Male flowers 5-merous. Achenes ovoid, 5-ribbed. Fl. Feb-Nov.

S Anhui, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, W Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, N Yunnan.

* Forests, dark damp places in valleys or at streamsides; 400-2800 m.