Elatostema acuminatum - Tapering-Leaf Elatostema

Tapering-Leaf Elatostema is a subshrub, 10-50 cm tall, hairless. Stems are erect, branched. Leaves are alternate, hairless; leaf-stalk 0-7 mm; leaf blade obliquely elliptic or oblong, 2-10 x 1-3.5 cm, herbaceous, major basal lateral veins both arising at base of leaf blade or 1 arising above base, cystoliths absent or very small, sparse, only present along nerves; base with broader half wedge-shaped or broadly wedge-shaped, margin toothed, tip cuspidate or tapering. Male inflorescences are 4-clustered, simple, about 5 mm in diam., nearly stalkless; receptacle small; bracts fused, 1-1.5 mm. Female inflorescences are in pairs, 3-5 mm in diameter, stalkless; receptacle very small; bracts triangular; bracteoles narrowly linear. Male flowers 5-merous. Seedpods are ellipsoid, 7-9-ribbed. Tapering-Leaf Elatostema is found in dense forests in valleys, shaded wet rocks or precipices, at altitudes of 500-1900 m, Eastern HImalaya to China and SE Asia. Flowering: December-May.