taxonID	type	description	language	source
9A6787DEFFEAAC51FF4EFAFEC8EA9F29.taxon	materials_examined	Type: — CHINA. Guangxi: Napo county, Laohutiao nature reserve, limestone hills growing under small trees and shrubs, N 23 ° 05 ′ 51 ″ E 105 ° 48 ′ 39 ″, 1100 m, 10 March 2009, Y. G. Wei g 043, (holotype PE!, isotype IBK!). Figure 2 A – C Perennial herb, terrestrial, dioecious? Not tuber forming. Stems ca 280 x ca 3 mm, erect, branched, green when fresh, furfuraceous, glabrous, sulcate, cystoliths sparsely scattered, bacilliform, 0.2 – 0.3 mm, internodes 7 – 18 mm. Stipules 2 at each node, caducous, 3.5 – 5 × 0.1 – 0.2 mm, subulate, glabrous. Leaves distichous, alternate, terminal pair of leaves subopposite, subsequent leaves subequal, short petiolate or sessile, petioles 0.8 – 2.0 mm, glabrous; laminae 80 – 90 × 20 – 28 mm, length: width ratio 1: 3.2 – 4.0, asymmetrically narrow obovate to oblong, chartaceous, 3 - plinerved, the lateral nerves 2 – 6, borne 45 – 60 ° to the midrib; upper surface drying yellow-green, glabrous, cystoliths randomly scattered, conspicuous or inconspicuous, bacilliform, 0.2 – 0.3 (– 0.4) mm; lower surface drying yellow green, glabrous, cystoliths randomly scattered, randomly scattered, bacilliform, 0.2 – 0.3 (– 0.4) mm; base asymmetrical, obliquely cuneate; margin serrate, the teeth spaced 6 – 8 mm apart; apex long acuminate or cuspidate, entire. Staminate and pistillate inflorescences borne on separate stems? Pistillate inflorescences not seen. Staminate inflorescences solitary, axillary, 5 – 10 mm in diameter, bearing 28 – 35 flowers in a pedunculate receptacle; peduncle 18 – 35 x 0.8 – 1.0 mm, glabrous, apparently ebracteate; receptacle 3 – 5 mm × 2 – 2.5 mm, oblong, undivided or deeply two-lobed, glabrous, green above, green below, subtended by marginal bracts, the bracts unequal, major bracts 2, borne opposite each other, at two sides of the receptacle, ca 4 × 1.5 mm, linear – triangular, subapically 1 - corniculate; minor bracts 6 – 13, digitate, 1.8 – 2.2 × 2.4 – 4 mm, narrowly triangular, linear – triangular or triangular. Staminate flowers ca. 2.5 × 2 mm immediately prior to anthesis ellipsoid, pedicellate, bracteolate; pedicel 1.5 – 2.2 mm, glabrous; bracteoles 2 per flower, unequal, major bracteole linear, ca. 3 × 1.2 mm, minor bracteole linear, ca. 1.0 × 0.8 mm, membranous, glabrous; tepals 4, ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, subapical appendage ca. 1 mm, corniculate, green, glabrous.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEAAC51FF4EFAFEC8EA9F29.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecology: growing in the shade of small trees and shrub on limestone Karst hillsides, rare, ca. 90 – 100 individuals.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEAAC51FF4EFAFEC8EA9F29.taxon	etymology	Etymology: Elatostema laevicaule is named for its glabrous stems. Vernacular name: Chinese (Mandarin): guangjing louticao, meaning ‘ glabrous stems’.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEAAC51FF4EFAFEC8EA9F29.taxon	discussion	Discussion: Most closely resembles Elatostema filipes Wang (1980: 49) from which it can be distinguished by the length and shape of the stipules, the number and shape of the staminate receptacle bracts and the shape of the staminate bracteoles as summarized in the Table 1 below: Conservation status: — A Global Conservation Assessment is presented here based on IUCN methodology (2001, version 3.1). Elatostema laevicaule is known from a single locality (criteria D 2) where the population numbers ca 100 mature individuals growing in a single cluster (criteria D 1 = <250). Plausible future threats that could drive this taxon to Critically Endangered or Extinct in a very short time are mining or conversion to agriculture of the limestone hills on which this species grows. Using the IUCN methodology the Global Conservation Assessment for E. laevicaule would be Endangered (EN) according to criteria D. Much of the plant diversity of limestone karsts of Guangxi has been poorly documented, however, and it may be that future exploration in the area will encounter further populations. For this reason we downgrade the assessment to Vulnerable (VU) based on criteria D 1 and D 2.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEFAC53FF4EFE07CB9D98B9.taxon	materials_examined	Type: — CHINA. Guangxi: Mashan county, Jiafang town, limestone Karst hills growing in the shade of shrubs in disturbed vegetation, N 23 ° 43 ' 16 " E 108 ° 10 ' 32 ", 260 m, 6 April 2009, Y. G. Wei g 120, (holotype, PE!; isotype, IBK!). Figure 4 A – D. Perennial herb, terrestrial, monoecious. Not tuber forming but callous forming, callous ca 10 × 12 mm, yellow. Stems 70 – 125 × 0.3 – 0.5 mm, decumbent, dark green when fresh, furfuraceous, unbranched, sparsely pubescent, the hairs ca. 0.5 mm, weakly curved to crooked, appressed, internodes 6 – 10 × 1.2 – 1.5 mm. Stipules 2 at each node, caducous, ca. 1.3 – 1.8 mm, subulate, glabrous. Leaves distichous, alternate, terminal pair of leaves subopposite, subsequent leaves subequal, subsessile, petioles ca. 1 mm, glabrous; laminae 28 – 72 × 15 – 36 mm, length: width ratio 1.9 – 2: 1, asymmetrically elliptic or obovate, chartaceous, 3 - plinerved, secondary nerves 2 – 5 pairs, borne 45 – 60 ° to the midrib; upper surface drying dark green, glabrous, cystoliths densely distributed, bacilliform, 0.10 – 0.25 mm; lower surface drying green, the nerves sparsely pubescent, the hairs ca. 0.5 mm, weakly curved, erect, cystoliths absent; base asymmetrical, subauriculate / cuneate; margin serrate, the teeth spaced 5 – 8 mm apart; apex weakly obtuse, obtuse or mucronate, entire. Staminate inflorescences borne on modified stems, pistillate inflorescences borne on regular stems, modified staminate inflorescence bearing stems 24 – 30 mm, dark green, unbranched, sparsely pubescent, with caducous stipules and sessile degenerate leaves, the degenerate leaves 4 – 6 × 3 – 4 mm, chartaceous, asymmetrically broadly elliptic, 3 - plinerved, lacking cystoliths. Staminate inflorescences axillary, solitary or paired, 3 – 7 mm in diameter, bearing 6 – 12 flowers in a pedunculate receptacle; peduncle 2 – 3 mm, furfuraceous, glabrous, ebracteate?; receptacle subglobose, 2.2 - 2.5 mm in diam., yellow above, yellow below, not divided into lobes, furfuraceous, glabrous, subtended by marginal bracts, the bracts digitate, subequal, 7 – 20, linear-lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 1 – 3 × 0.8 - 1 mm, sparsely pubescent, the hairs ca. 0.1 mm, weakly curved, erect. Staminate flowers 4.5 – 7.0 x 1.5 – 2.0 mm at anthesis, white, pedicellate; pedicels 2.5 – 5.0 mm; bracteoles 2, unequal, membranous, semitransparent, pubescent, major bracteole 1.8 – 2.5 mm, linear; minor bracteole 1.3 – 1.6, linear or narrowly triangular; tepals 4, obovate-oblong, ca. 1 mm, fused for basal 1 / 3 to 1 / 2, the subapical appendage corniculate, white, pubescent; stamens 4, ca. 1 mm. Pistillate inflorescences axillary, solitary, ca. 3.0 mm in diameter, bearing 14 – 16 flowers in a subsessile receptacle; peduncle ca. 0.5 x 1 mm, pubescence, the hairs ca. 0.1 mm, weakly curved, erect, ebracteate?; receptacle subglobose, ca. 1.0 mm in diam., not divided into lobes, yellow above, yellow below, subtended by marginal bracts, the bracts equal, ca. 25, 1 - 1.4 × 0.25 mm, linearlanceolate, sparsely pubescent. Pistillate flowers ca. 0.8 x 0.4 mm, green, pedicellate to subsessile; pedicels 0.2 mm; bracteoles 2, equal, ca. 1 mm, linear, sparsely pubescent, the hairs ca. 0.05 mm; ovary ca. 0.3 mm, ellipsoid; stigma ca. 0.3 mm. Infructescences as pistillate inflorescence; achene ca. 0.65 x 0.3 mm, ovoid, with 5 longitudinal ribs, beige.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEFAC53FF4EFE07CB9D98B9.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecology: — Elatostema androstachyum is known only from the type locality were it grows on limestone rock in the shade of shrubs in disturbed shrub-dominated vegetation on Karst hills. There is evidence of sustained disturbance in the form of grazing animals and deforestation and the locality is at the margin of agricultural land where maize is cultivated. Annual rainfall is ca. 1700 mm per year. Only ca 10 individuals over an area of 25 m 2 were encountered.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEFAC53FF4EFE07CB9D98B9.taxon	etymology	Etymology: — Elatostema androstachyum is named for the staminate inflorescences which are borne on modified stems. Vernacular name: Chinese (Mandarin): xiongsui louticao meaning ‘ staminate stem’ since its staminate inflorescences are borne on modified stems.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEFAC53FF4EFE07CB9D98B9.taxon	discussion	Discussion: Most similar to Elatostema parvum (Blume) Miq. in Zollinger (1854: 102) from which it can be distinguished by stipule length, the relative length of the staminate inflorescence bearing stem, relative length of the leaves of the staminate inflorescence bearing stem and the diameter of the pistillate inflorescence as summarized in Table 2 below. Conservation status: — A Global Conservation Assessment is presented here based on IUCN methodology (2001, version 3.1). Elatostema androstachyum is known from a single locality (criteria D 2) where the population of this species numbers ca 10 mature individuals (criteria D 1 = <250). Plausible future threats that could drive this taxon to Critically Endangered or Extinct in a very short time are the presence of livestock which currently graze this locality and our own observations of active deforestation. Using the IUCN methodology the Global Conservation Assessment for E. androstachyum would be Critically Endangered (EN) according to criteria D. Much of the plant diversity of limestone karsts of Guangxi, however, has been poorly documented and so it may be that future exploration and collecting in the area will encounter further populations. For this reason we downgrade the assessment to Vulnerable (VU) based on criteria D 1 and D 2.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEDAC5CFF4EF8F6C9BF9882.taxon	materials_examined	Type: — CHINA. Guangxi: Longlin county Dahongbao nature reserve, N 24 ° 57 ′ 44 " E 105 ° 09 ′ 35 ″, 1150 m, 27 March 2009, Y. G. Wei g 086, (holotype PE!, isotype IBK!, BM!). Figure 6 A – C. Perennial herb, terrestrial, dioecious. Not tuber forming. Stems ca. 240 – 300 x 2.0 – 2.5 mm, decumbent, maroon when fresh, branched, glabrous, internodes 5 – 9 mm. Stipules 2 at each node, caducous, 1.5 – 1.8 × 0.2 – 1 mm, narrowly linear, glabrous. Leaves distichous, alternate, the terminal pair of leaves subopposite, subsequent leaves subequal, petioles 0.5 – 1.5 mm, glabrous; laminae 50 – 140 × 20 – 44 mm, length: width ratio 1.5 – 3.18: 1, asymmetrical, elliptic or oblong, chartaceous, 3 - plinerved, the secondary nerves 2 - 4, 60 – 90 ° to the midrib; upper surface drying dark green, glabrous, cystoliths densely or sparsely scattered, inconspicuous, bacilliform, 0.10 – 0.25 mm; lower surface drying brown-yellow, glabrous, cystoliths absent; base asymmetrical, cordiform / cuneate or obtuse / cuneate; margin serrate, the teeth spaced 5 – 9 mm apart; apex acuminate to caudate. Staminate and pistillate inflorescences borne on separate stems, modified staminate inflorescence bearing stems decumbent, simple or branched, with degenerate sessile or short petiolate leaves, 5 – 27 × 1.5 – 5 mm, oblong – linear, 1 - nerved, cystoliths absent. Staminate inflorescences solitary, borne on modified stems, axillary, bearing 15 – 25 flowers in a pedunculate receptacle; peduncle 9 – 25 mm, glabrous, ebracteate?; receptacle 8 – 11 x 3 – 6 mm, discoid, not lobed, brown-yellow above, brown-yellow below, glabrous, subtended by marginal bracts, the bracts unequal, major bracts 2, borne opposite each other, at two sides of the receptacle, 3.8 – 5.0 × 2.4 – 4 mm, not erect, broadly ovate with a cucullate apex, the point of the apex corniculate, minor bracts 4 - 6, erect, 1.8 – 2.2 × 2.4 - 4 mm, broadly ovate with a truncate, erose apex. Staminate flowers ca. 5.0 x 3.0 mm at anthesis, white, pedicellate; pedicel ca. 2 mm, glabrous; bracteoles 2, unequal, major bracteole ca. 4.2 mm, linear, glabrous, minor bracteole ca. 2.0 mm, linear, glabrous; tepals 4, 3 × 1 mm, obovate-oblong, fused and connate towards the base, pale green, the subapical appendage 0.5 - 0.6 mm, corniculate, glabrous, stamens 4. Pistillate inflorescences axillary, solitary, pedunculate; peduncle ca. 0.6 mm, glabrous, ebracteate?; receptacle 2 mm in diameter, oblong, brown above, brown below, subtended by marginal bracts, the bracts equal, ca. 6, erect, broadly ovate with a cucullate apex terminating in a corniculate appendage, glabrous. Pistillate flowers immature; bracteoles 2 per flower, unequal, major bracteole 0.4 mm, broadly ovate, apically corniculate, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, where pubescent the hairs ca. 0.1 mm, minor bracteole 0.3 mm, broadly ovate. Infructescences not seen.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEDAC5CFF4EF8F6C9BF9882.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecology: Elatostema heterocladum is known only from the type locality growing on limestone hillsides in the shade of small trees and shrubs in disturbed vegetation. Mean annual rainfall at the type locality is ca 1100 mm. Ca. 90 individuals were seen growing in a single cluster.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEDAC5CFF4EF8F6C9BF9882.taxon	etymology	Etymology: Elatostema heterocladum is named after staminate inflorescences borne on specialised stems which differ from those on which pistillate inflorescences are borne. Vernacular name: Chinese (Mandarin): yijing louticao, meaning ‘ different stem’, a reference to there being a modified staminate stem contrasting to a normally developed pistillate stem.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
9A6787DEFFEDAC5CFF4EF8F6C9BF9882.taxon	discussion	Discussion: Elatostema heterocladum may be easily distinguished from many other species in the genus, including those cited as most similar below by the delicate staminate inflorescence-bearing stems that bear greatly reduced leaves together with the discoid staminate receptacle. E. heterocladum is most similar to E. androstachyum and E. luxiense Wang (1982: 18). It can be distinguished from E. androstachyum by stem, solitary staminate inflorescence, staminate bract and pistillate bract morphology as summarized in Table 3. It can be distinguished from E. luxiense W. T. Wang by leaf morphology and staminate inflorescence morphology as summarized in Table 4. Conservation status: — A Global Conservation Assessment is presented here based on IUCN methodology (2001, version 3.1). Elatostema heterocladum is known from a single locality (criteria D 2) where the population numbers ca 90 mature individuals (criteria D 1 = <250). Plausible future threats that could drive this taxon to Critically Endangered or Extinct in a very short time are mining or conversion to agriculture of the limestone hills on which this species grow. Using the IUCN methodology the Global Conservation Assessment for E. heterocladum would be Critically Endangered (EN) according to criteria D. Much of the plant diversity of limestone karsts of Guangxi has been poorly documented and so it may be that future exploration and collecting in the area will encounter further populations. For this reason we downgrade the assessment to Vulnerable (VU) based on criteria D 1 and D 2.	en	Wei, Yi-Gang, Monro, A. K., Wang, Wen-Tsai (2013): Additions to the Flora of China: three new species of Elatostema (Urticaceae) from Guangxi. Phytotaxa 147 (1): 1-12, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.147.1.1
