Buddleja microstachya is a small shrub discovered in 2005 by Liu and Peng in Yunnan, China, growing at an elevation of 3,200 m in rocky terrain of the Yongde Mountains Nature Reserve.[1] First described in 2006, this putative species was not included in Leeuwenberg's study of Asiatic and African buddleja published in 1979.[2]

Buddleja microstachya
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Buddleja
Species:
B. microstachya
Binomial name
Buddleja microstachya
E. D. Liu

Description edit

Buddleja microstachya grows to 1–2 m in height in the wild. The branchlets are quadrangular and densely tomentose, the bark of old branches peeling. The leaves are lanceolate, 1.5–5.0 cm long by 0.5–1.3 cm wide, tomentose above, densely tomentose below. The small terminal inflorescences consist of two or three flowers forming a cyme, several cymes forming a compact panicle. The corolla is lavender to white, cylindrical, 4–6 mm long and densely tomentose outside.[1]

Buddleja microstachya most closely resembles B. yunnanensis but differs in flower morphology and has a very isolated range, whereas B. yunnanensis has a wide distribution.

Cultivation edit

Buddleja microstachya is not known to be in cultivation.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Liu, E.D. & Peng, H. (2006). Buddleja microstachya (Buddleajaceae), a new species from SW Yunnan, China. Ann. Bot. Fenn. 43: 463–465.
  2. ^ Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1979) The Loganiaceae of Africa XVIII Buddleja L. II, Revision of the African & Asiatic species. H. Veenman & Zonen, Wageningen, Nederland.