Buddleja brachystachya

Buddleja brachystachya
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Buddlejaceae
Genus:	Buddleja
Species:	B. brachystachya
Binomial name
Buddleja brachystachya Diels.
Synonyms
Buddleja nana W. W. Sm. Buddleja purdomii W. W. Sm.

Buddleja brachystachya is a small shrub endemic to the Yunnan, Szechuan and Kansu provinces of China, where it grows on open, rocky, often dry, places at altitudes of 2,000–2,400 m. It was first described and named by Diels in 1912. ^[1]

Description

B. brachystachya grows to 0.3–0.9 m in height, with subquadrangular to subterete, densely stellate - tomentose branchlets. The small, opposite leaves have elliptic blades, 1–3.5 cm long by 0.5–1.7 cm wide, acute or obtuse at the apex, cuneate or decurrent at the base, the margins entire. The lavender inflorescences are small, thyrsoid, and often few flowered, 1.5–3 cm long by 1.5–2.5 cm wide, the corollas 11–18 mm long. ^[2] Ploidy 2n = 38 (diploid). ^[3]

Cultivation

The species is uncommon in cultivation. Hardiness: USDA zone 10. ^[4]

References

1. Diels, F. L. E. (1912). Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 5: 249. 1912.
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. .
3. Chen, G, Sun, W-B, & Sun, H. (2007). Ploidy variation in Buddleja L. (Buddlejaceae) in the Sino - Himalayan region and its biogeographical implications. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 2007, 154, 305 – 312. The Linnean Society of London.
4. Stuart, D. (2006). Buddlejas. Plant Collector Guide. Timber Press, Oregon, USA. ISBN 978-0-88192-688-0

• Li, P. T. & Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1996). Loganiaceae, in Wu, Z. & Raven, P. (eds) Flora of China, Vol. 15. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA. ISBN 978-0915279371 online at www.efloras.org