圆叶鹿蹄草 Pyrola rotundifolia


  • Scientific Name: Pyrola rotundifolia L.
  • Ref: Sp. Pl.:396. 1753
  • Synonyms: Pyrola tianschanica P.P.Polyakov, Thelaia arenaria Alef., T. asarifolia Alef., T. bracteosa Alef., T. intermedia Alef., T. rotundifolia (L.) Alef.
  • English Common Name: round-leaved wintergreen
  • Chinese Common Name: 圆叶鹿蹄草 yuányè lùtícǎo
  • Japanese Common Name: チョウセンイチヤクソウ [朝鮮一薬草] chōsenichiyakusō
  • Family: Ericaceae
  • Genus: Pyrola
  • Distribution: Picea forests, mountain thickets, grassy slopes; 1400–3200 m. Gansu, ?Hebei, ?Jiangsu, ?Liaoning, ?Ningxia, ?Shaanxi, Sichuan, N Xinjiang (Altay), Xizang, Yunnan [Japan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Russia; Europe].
  • Photo: Mt. Changbai, Jilin
Herbs 15–25(–30) cm tall. Rhizome long, slender, branched, producing adventitious roots and aerial stems at nodes; aerial stems 15–30 cm, ribbed, with a basal rosette of crowded leaves, and higher up with 1 or 2 oblong-ovate sheathing, scalelike, brownish bracts. Rosulate leaves 4–7, semievergreen; petiole ca. 2 × or ca. as long as blades; leaf blade slightly green abaxially, green adaxially, slightly shiny, orbicular to ovate, (2–)3–6 × (1.5–)2.5–5.5 cm, leathery, base sometimes subcordate, margin obscurely crenate or nearly entire, apex rounded. Rachis-inserted scale-shaped leaves 1 or 2; raceme 8–15-flowered, 6–16 cm. Pedicel 4.5–5 mm; bracts axillary, imbricate, lanceolate, membranous. Flowers spreading or rarely nodding, 1.5–2 cm in diam., widely opened, fragrant (scent of Convallaria majalis Linnaeus). Sepals ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3.5–5.5 mm, reflexed at tip, apex rounded. Petals incurved, pure white, orbicular-ovate, 6.5–10 × 4–6 mm, rather thick, apex obtuse. Stamens arched toward upper side of flower; filaments glabrous, anthers yellow, tubules present. Style 7.5–10 mm, deflexed at base and facing lower part of corolla, dilated at apex into a ring. Capsule (6–)7–8 mm in diam. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. unknown. (Flora of China)

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