Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrub or treelet to 3 m tall.

Stems: Main stem solitary or sparsely branched, to 2.5 cm diam., most parts golden–to dark brown villosulous–hirtellous with spreading to antrorsely curved septate hairs 0.4–0.9 mm, leafy stems 5–10 mm diam., internodes 2–3 cm.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades elliptic to oblong–elliptic, 20–41 6 8–18.5 cm; leaves of a pair equal or subequal, symmetrical to somewhat asymmetrical. Upper surfaces densely strigillose–hirtellous, lower surfacely moderately to densely velutinous–hirtellous with crinkled hairs, pubescence denser on veins and margin. Margins serrulate, teeth with hair tufts. Veins prominent and raised. Petioles 2.5–10 cm, densely villosulous–hirtellous, base sometimes clasping the stem or perfoliate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences cauligerous, borne near ground level or up to 2 m above, dichasial, at first erect, becoming pendulous with age, 4–6 x 4–9 cm, 2– to 3–branched cymes of 12 to 25 flowers, densely brown villosulous–hirtellous, primary axes 1–2.5 cm, secondary axes 1–2 cm, usually ending in 2– to 4–flowered cymules, bracts narrowly ovate to oblong, 4–9 6 1.5–2 mm, distinct or occasionally connate. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx 2–5(6)-lobed, actinomorphic, green when fresh, 13–15 mm, cleft to 7/8 its length or nearly to the base, the lobes erect, lanceolate to linear–oblong, 12–14 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, apex acute, externally densely golden brown strigulose–hirtellous, internally strigulose in distal 1⁄2–⅔, deciduous or persistent in fruit. Corolla usually bilabiate, white, tube subcylindrical, flaring somewhat at mouth, slightly curved near middle, (12)15–22 mm, externally strigulose–hirtellous with pale brown hairs, glabrous in basal ⅓, internally glabrous, the lobes imbricate in bud, upper 3 lobes suborbicular to broadly rhombic–ovate, (4)5–9 6 6–12 mm, lower 2 lobes 5–8 6 6–7 mm, lobes externally strigulose–hirtellous or glabrous near margins, internally puberulent at least basally and at throat with capitate glandular hairs. Stamens 5, inserted about halfway up corolla tube, the 2 upper Stamens fertile, others staminodial, +/– with abortive anthers; fertile anthers coherent positioned in throat of corolla tube, dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits or occasionally by apical pores, 2–2.5 mm, ovoid; filament 1.5–2 mm, slightly coiled. Ovary superior, 5 mm, ovoid, 2-carpellate, 1-celled, placentation parietal, placentas 2, ± intruded, rarely joined in center and dividing ovary into 2 cells; ovules numerous, anatropous, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, apex rounded or with a stylar beak; style 8–10 mm, pilosulous distally; stigma 3 mm, obconical–flabellate, 4-lobed, lobes usually elliptic.

Fruit: Fruit a fleshy or firm berry; white; ovoid to ovoid–ellipsoid; 13–16 6 7–8 mm; often tipped by the persistent stylar beak. Seeds numerous; pale brown; ellipsoid; 0.3 mm long; the surface reticulate.

Ploidy:

Habitat: This distinctive species is restricted to steep (up to ca. 45 degree) slopes of stream banks; rooting in rocky brown clay soil substrate; in moderate to dense shade of wet forest.

Elevation Range: 823–869 m.