Biophytum fruticosum Bl.

This species is used medicinally.

Perennials (3-)8-20(-40) cm tall, base woody. Stem usually shortly dichotomously branched, rarely unbranched, basally glabrous, apical parts densely covered with recurved trichomes. Leaf rachis 4-10 cm, densely long strigose; leaflets 6-16 pairs; leaflet blades oblong to obovate-oblong, asymmetric, 4-12 × 3-7 mm, both surfaces with long recurved trichomes, base very oblique. Umbels usually 1-3-flowered or sometimes more; peduncle 3-7 cm, equal to leaf length or longer, slender; bracts several, 1-2 mm, crowded into a cylindric cluster at apex of peduncle, cluster 5-8 mm. Pedicel 3-10 mm. Sepals 3-5 mm, with simple trichomes. Petals white, longer than sepals. Capsule ellipsoid, 4-5 mm, equal to calyx or longer. Fl. Jun-Dec, fr. Aug-Feb.

Chongqing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan [Cambodia, E India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].

Roadsides, rock walls, dense or sparse forests; 300-2300 m.

Biophytum blumei Zuccarini; B. esquirolii H. Léveillé; B. thorelianum Guillaumin var. sinense Guillaumin.