Dinetus grandiflorus (Wall.) Staples

Dinetus grandiflorus, the largest-flowered and most attractive species of Dinetus, is distributed along the S flank of the Himalayas. Its distribution barely extends into China at the border region between Nepal and Xizang.

Herbs perennial; indumentum dull yellow to golden. Stems ± puberulent. Petiole 2.8-8.5(-14) cm; leaf blade ± cordate, rarely subhastate, (8.7-)10.3-12.5(-17.1) ´ (5.3-) 7.2-9(-13) cm, subglabrous to velutinous. Racemes 1 (or 2), pendent; bracts subulate-linear; bracteoles 2, golden pilose. Pedicel 0.6-1.6 cm. Flowers 3-4.5 cm. Sepals subulate-triangular, equal, 3.5-6 mm, marginally (or entirely) golden sericeous abaxially. Fruiting calyx loosely clasping; sepals tan to brown, narrowly ellipsoid-oblong, concave, unequal, glabrous, outer 3 sepals 3.2-4.2 ´ 0.9-1.6 cm, inner 2 smaller. Corolla mauve or rose-purple, with a white eye, ± salverform; tube cylindric, swollen basally; limb 2.8-4.4 cm in diam., shallowly 5-lobed, hair tufts golden. Stamens equal, inside basal swelling of corolla tube; filaments pubescent basally; anthers linear. Disc absent. Ovary ovoid-globose; stigma ellipsoid. Fruit greenish tan with darker lines, broadly obovoid to globose, (1-)1.4-1.6 ´ 0.9-1.3 cm, glabrous, apiculate. Seed dark brown, ellipsoid, ca. 11 ´ 9.5 mm. Fl. Jun-Sep, fr. Jul-Nov.

Himalaya (Nepal to Bhutan).

S Xizang (Bingmu Xian, Nyalam Xian) [Bhutan, NC India, Nepal]

1900-2500 m

Thickets of moist N- or W-facing, deciduous or cloud forests, watercourses, ravines; 1700-2600 m.

Porana grandiflora Wallich in Roxburgh, Fl. Ind., 2: 41. 1824; Dinetopsis grandiflora (Wallich) Roberty.