Buddleja curviflora Hook. & Arn.

Shrubs 1–1.5 m tall. Branchlets terete or occasionally obscurely angular, stellate tomentose. Leaves opposite and petiolate; petiole 0.5–2.0 cm; leaf blade ovate, less often narrowly ovate, 5–16 × 2–7 cm, apex acuminate, acute or obtuse, base cuneate or sub-truncate, margin sub-entire or sometimes with obscure teeth; densely tomentose on both surface, upper surface glabrescent. Inflorescences terminal, thyrsoid appearing spicate and sometimes interrupted, 5–20 cm long. Calyx campanulate, 2–3.5 mm, outside stellate tomentose and with minute glandular hairs; lobes ovate to triangular, 0.5–1 mm, inside glabrous. Corolla most often purple, 11–22 mm long, outside stellate-pubescent with minute glandular hairs, inside pilose from the apex of the ovary to the mouth; tube cylindrical or almost so widening slightly at the throat, apical diameter 1.4–2.5 mm, basally 1.2–1.5 mm and often curved roughly midway, ; lobes sub-orbicular, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm. Stamens inserted near or at middle of corolla tube; filament very short 0.25–0.5 mm,anthers oblong, 1.4–2 mm. Pistil glabrous; stigma clavate 1.2–2.5 mm; ovary ovoid to sub-ovoid, 1.8–2.5 × 1.2–1.5 mm. Capsules ellipsoid, 5–7 × 2–3 mm, glabrous. Seeds obliquely ellipsoid, 1.2–1.5 × 0.4–0.5mm, winged at both ends. (Leeuwenberg 1979; Li & Leeuwenberg 1996).

Distribution  Japan Taiwan

Habitat Thickets 100–300 m asl.

USDA Hardiness Zone 8-9

RHS Hardiness Rating H4

Conservation status Not evaluated (NE)

Taxonomic note Buddleja curviflora is closely allied to B. japonica. Two species were controversially sunk by Leeuwenberg (1979) as synonyms of B. curviflora, most notably B. formosana, a plant native only to eastern Taiwan. Flora of Taiwan (Huang 1998) also treats B. formosana as synonymous with B. curviflora, however, some authorites still recognise it and when it is recognised it is considered critically endangered (Pan 1998).