脐草属 qi cao shu

Herbs, annual. Leaves opposite. Racemes in panicles. Pedicel elongated. Calyx tube tubular-campanulate, parted medianly to 2/5 length, parted on lateral sides to 1/3-1/2 length, 5-veined. Corolla lower lip deeply 3-lobed, lobes patent; upper lip galeate, straight, margin flat, emarginate. Stamens 4, enclosed by galea; anthers arrow-shaped, locule base extending into spurs, barbate along slit after dehiscence. Stigma capitate. Capsule loculicidal. Seeds numerous; wings white, cross striate.

One species: China, Korea, Russia (Far East).

Pseudobartsia is one of the most primitive members of the tribe Rhinantheae. The genus is related to Odontites Ludwig and Bartsia Linnaeus, and it is also similar to Phtheirospermum Bunge. Tao (Acta Bot. Yunnan. 15: 232. 1993) treated Pseudobartsia yunnanensis as conspecific with the Himalayan Phtheirospermum glandulosum Bentham. However, more comparative material is needed before the generic placement of P. glandulosum and the possible synonymy of P. yunnanensis can be confirmed.

Lower Taxon

• Omphalotrix longipes Maximowicz