Salvia chienii E. Peter

Plants rhizomatous, perennial. Stems erect, 20-45 cm, glabrous or densely retrorse pilose. Leaves simple and compound; petiole 1.5-6 cm, petiolules 1-3 mm; leaflets 3, terminal largest, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 4-14 × 1.2-4 cm, margin crenate or obtusely serrate, apex acute to acuminate; lateral leaflets 1-4 × 0.8-2.5 cm; simple leaves subsessile, on stem, ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-5.5 × 0.5-2.5 cm, similar to leaflets. Verticillasters 3-7-flowered, widely spaced, in terminal or axillary secund racemes or panicles; bracts lanceolate, ca. 5 mm. Calyx tubular, ca. 6 mm, purple-red, finely glandular pilose; tube ca. 4.5 mm, apex purple-red inside; upper lip broadly triangular, margin entire, 3-veined; teeth triangular, apex acute. Corolla 1-1.3 cm, purple, pubescent; tube obliquely hairy annulate near base, bearded in front at throat inside, ca. 9 mm, straight, gradually dilated to 3 mm wide at throat; upper lip oblong, ca. 2.5 × 2 mm; lower lip longer than upper, ca. 3 × 4 mm; middle lobe semicircular to oblong, apex emarginate; lateral lobes oblong. Filaments ca. 1 mm; connectives ca. 2.5 mm, upper arms ca. 2 mm. Nutlets yellow-brown, ca. 2 × 1 mm. Fl. Jul.

Anhui, Jiangxi

* Hillsides, streamsides; ca. 700 m.

Salvia chienii is a perennial plant that is native to Anhui and Jiangxi provinces in China, growing on hillsides and streamsides at around 700 m (2,300 ft) elevation. S. chienii grows on erect stems to 20 to 45 cm (7.9 to 17.7 in) tall, with simple and compound leaves. Inflorescences are widely spaced 3-7 flowered verticillasters in terminal or axillary racemes and panicles, with a purple corolla that is 1 to 1.3 cm (0.39 to 0.51 in).

There are two named varieties. S. chienii var. chienii has stems, leaves, and petioles with soft fine hairs, a corolla that is 1 cm (0.39 in) long, and is native to hillsides in Anhui province. S. chienii var. wuyuania has no hairs on the stems, leaves, and petioles, a slightly larger corolla, and grows on streamsides in Jiangxi province.