| English Name | Guile's Boeica |
|---|---|
| Status in China | Endangered (EN) |
Description:
Perennial herbs. Leaves basal; petiole up to 3 cm; leaf blade elliptic, 2-3 cm long and 1.1-1.9 cm wide, apex rounded, base cuneate, margin serrulate, white pilose on both surfaces. Peduncle ca. 5.5 cm, arising from the leaf rosette, usually 1-flowered; pedicels ca. 1.3 cm, as is the peduncle purple-brown pilose. Calyx 5-parted almost to base. Corolla blue-purple, ca. 1.2 cm long, white pubescent, 2-lipped, upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed; lobes subequal. Stamens 4, distinct; pistillate ca. 1 cm, densely pilose. Capsules oblong, ca. 1.4 cm, pilose.
Distribution:
Endemic to Hong Kong; restricted to Ma On Shan, Pat Sin Leng, Nam Chung, Luk Keng.
Habitat and Ecology:
On rocks.
As a rare species endemic to Hong Kong, it is of special botanical interest. The beautiful purple flower makes it a very attractive ornamental. Its distribution range is restricted and population size is small, but the localities of its occurrence are mostly in Country Parks under protection. Ex-situ conservation measures could be explored.
References:
Burtt,B.L., 1977: Studies in the Gesneriaceae of the Old World XLI: Notes on Boeica and Didissandra. Not. Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 35: 371-372.
王文采，1990: 中國植物誌69：256-257。科學出版社，北京。
