Helicia shweliensis W. W. Sm.

Shrubs or small trees, 4-10 m tall. Branchlets apically rust-colored pilose, persistently pilose only near a leaf. Petiole 2-5(-10) mm; leaf blade obovate-oblong, oblong, or oblanceolate, 6-10 × 2.5-3.5 cm, ± leathery to leathery, glabrescent, base cuneate and sometimes decurrent into petiole, margin entire or serrulate on apical half, apex acute to shortly acuminate; secondary veins 5-8 on each side of midvein; secondary and reticulate veins conspicuous on both surfaces. Inflorescences ramiflorous, 8-12 cm, glabrous; bracts of flower pairs oblong to lanceolate, 4-10(-20) × 1.5-3 mm but a few persistent bracts accrescent in fruit, leaflike, 2.5-3 × ca. 1 cm; floral bracts lanceolate, 1-2 mm. Pedicels 3-4 mm, basally connate. Perianth yellowish, 1-1.4 cm. Anthers ca. 3 mm. Hypogynous glands ovoid, free. Ovary glabrous. Fruit dark green, ± globose, ca. 1.5 cm in diam., apex apiculate; pericarp ca. 1 mm thick, leathery. Fl. Aug-Sep, fr. Sep-Dec.

C to SW Yunnan.

* Montane forests; 300-2800 m.

Helicia shweliensis is a species of plant in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to China, where it is confined to Yunnan. It is threatened by habitat loss. The causes of habitat loss are attributed to a variety of factors, but the most prevalent factors include the destruction of forests in favor of constructing plantations for the production of cash crops.