Phrymaceae [Draft]

透骨草科 tou gu cao ke

Hong Deyuan (洪德元); Jun Wen

                Herbs, perennial, erect. Stems 4-angular. Stipules absent. Leaves simple, opposite; leaf blade margin serrate. Inflorescences a terminal or axillary spike. Flowers perfect, actinomorphic, each with a bract and a bracteole, long pedicellate. Calyx connate, tubular, 5-ribbed; limb 2-lipped; abaxial lip with 2 short triangular lobes; adaxial lip with 3 apically ± hooked long subulate lobes. Corolla connate, tubular-infundibuliform; limb 2-lipped; abaxial lip larger, patent, with 3 imbricate lobes; adaxial lip erect, margin nearly entire but apically emarginate or shallowly 2-lobed. Stamens 4, inserted in corolla tube, anterior 2 longer; filaments filiform; anthers dorsifixed, cells parallel, not convergent at apex, longitudinally dehiscent. Gynoecium of 2 connate carpels; ovary superior, 1-locular, with basal placentation and 1 orthotropous ovule; style single, apical, elongate; stigma 2-lipped. Fruits an achene, enveloped in persistent calyx. Seeds with an oblong embryo; endosperm thin, with 2 layers of cells.

One species: E North America, E Asia.

PHRYMA Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 601. 1753.

透骨草属 tou gu cao shu

                Morphpological characters and geographical distribution are the same as for the family.

1. Phryma leptostachya Linnaeus subsp. asiatica (H. Hara) Kitamura, Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 17: 7. 1957.

透骨草 (亚种) tou gu cao (ya zhong)

                Phryma leptostachya var. asiatica H. Hara, Enum. Sperm. Jap. 1: 297. 1948; P. asiatica (H. Hara) O. Degener & I. Degener; P. esquirolii H. Léveillé; P. humilis Koidzumi; P. leptostachya var. humilis (Koidzumi) H. Hara; P. leptostachya var. melanostachya Kitagawa; P. leptostachya var. nana (Koidzumi) H. Hara; P. leptostachya var. oblongifolia (Koidzumi) Honda; P. nana Koidzumi; P. oblongifolia Koidzumi.

Herbs, perennial, (10--)30--100 cm tall. Stems simple or sometimes with apical branches bearing inflorescences, erect, 4-angular, apically pubescent or rarely nearly glabrous. Leaves petiolate or sometimes apical leaves shortly petetiolate or even sessile; petiole to 4 cm, puberulous; leaf blade ovate-oblong, ovate-lanceolate, ovate-elliptic, ovate-triangular, or broadly ovate, 1--16 X 1--8 cm, herbaceous, both surfaces puberulous and sometimes more densely so along veins, secondary veins 4--6 on each side of midvein, base cuneate, rounded, or truncate but often decurrent for middle and basal leaves, margin dentate or crenulate, apex acuminate, acute, or rarely nearly rounded. Spikes terminal, puberulous; peduncles 3--20 cm; inflorescence axis 10--30 cm; bracts subulate to linear, 1--2.5 mm. Pedicel short, erect at anthesis but later reflexed; bracteoles 2, at base of pedicel, subulate to linear, 0.5--2 mm. Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed, outside puberulous; tube 2.5--3.2 mm at anthesis; abaxial teeth 2, triangular, ca. 0.3 mm; adaxial teeth 3, subulate, 1.2--2.3 mm, apex ± hooked. Corolla bluish purple, pale red, or white, tubular-infundibuliform, 6.5--7.5 mm, outside glabrous; tube 4--4.5 mm, ca. 1.5 mm broad at mouth, inside anteriorly puberulous; limb 2-lipped; abaxial lip patent, 2.5--3 mm, apex 3-lobed with central lobe larger; adaxial lip erect, 1.3--2 mm, apex 2-lobed. Stamens inserted in corolla tube 2.5--3 mm from base, glabrous; filaments filiform, 1.5--1.8 mm, anterior 2 longer; anthers reniform-spherical, 0.3--0.4 X ca. 0.5 mm. Gynoecium glabrous; ovary obliquely oblong-lanceolate, 1.9--2.2 mm; style 3--3.5 mm; stigma 2-lipped, basal lip longer and oblong. Achenes long ellipsoid, enveloped in persistent clavate calyx; persistent calyx-tube 4.5--6 mm. Fl. Jun--Oct, fr. Aug--Dec.

                Moist ravines or forests; 300--2800 m. Anhui, Chongqing, Fujian, S Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xizang (Bomi Xian, Gyirong Xian), Yunnan, Zhejiang [E India, Japan, Korea, Nepal, N Pakistan, Russia (Far East), N Vietnam].

Phryma leptostachya subsp. leptostachya occurs in North America, including SE Canada as well as central and eastern United States. The autonym subspecies differens from var. asiatica by having the calyx tube 2--2.2 cm, adaxial calyx teeth nearly as long as to calyx tube at anthesis, and adaxial corolla lip entire or emarginate.