Elatostema monticola Hook.F.

Annual or apparently perennial herbs, apparently dioecious, rarely monoecious, sometimes flowering shortly after germination on erect stems, 5–10 cm. tall, fixed to the substratum by fibrous roots, or on ascending stems from a prostrate rhizome, up to 30 cm. high, pubescent to densely pilose on the upper part of the stem.. Leaves mainly on the upper half of the stems; stipules lanceolate, the ones of the reduced leaf rather like those of the extant leaf, but separated less than 180° from them on the stem, (l–)2–4(–5) mm. long, persistent; petiole usually almost absent, rarely up to 0.3 mm. long, pubescent; lamina obovate to lanceolate, 1.5–6(–8.5) cm. long, proximal half 0.3–1.2 cm. wide, distal half 0.5–1.5 cm. wide, base very oblique, on proximal side cuneate, on distal side auriculate or subcordate, margin serrate, distal margin with 5–10 teeth, proximal side with fewer, apex rounded, acute or acuminate, sometimes caudate; prominent lateral nerves on the distal side 3–4, on the proximal side 2–4, basal lateral nerve reaching through more than half the length of lamina before arching towards the midnerve; above with scattered stiff hairs, rarely glabrous, numerous linear cystoliths clearly visible, lower surface with stiff hairs on the nerves.. Inflorescences sessile, unisexual, axillary, sometimes contiguous near the top of the stem; ♂ inflorescence ± 0.5(–0.8) cm. in diameter; bracts lanceolate, obtuse, 1–2(–2.5) mm. wide, ciliate, bracteoles smaller, ciliate; ♀ inflorescences ± 0.5 cm. in diameter (or ?more), bracts lanceolate to oblong, ± 1 mm. wide, sparsely ciliate, bracteoles linear-spathulate, ciliate in upper half.. Male flowers on pedicels 1.5–2 mm. long; perianth ± 1.5 mm. in diameter, (3–)4-merous, tepals glabrescent, with subapical appendage 0.5–1.5 mm. long.. Female flowers probably sessile or subsessile at first, later with elongated pedicel; 3 perianth-segments, extremely reduced; hyaline staminodal scales 3; ovary with linear stripes or fine ridges or almost smooth.. Fig. 10/C–H.

In montane forest.