Salvia vasta H. W. Li

Plants perennial. Rhizome prostrate. Stems erect, 30-40(-100) cm, pubescent, becoming subglabrous, purplish. Leaves pinnate, 10-20 cm, 5-7-foliolate; petiole 4.5-11 cm; terminal leaflet broadly ovate to ovate-elliptic, 3-6.5 × 1.8-3.5 cm, abaxially glabrous, pubescent on veins, base rounded to shallowly cordate, margin serrate, apex long acuminate; lateral leaflets smaller, base oblique. Inflorescences glandular pilose; verticillasters (2-)4-8-flowered, widely spaced, in terminal racemes or panicles 15-35 cm. Pedicel ca. 4 mm. Calyx tubular, ca. 9 mm, pilose, puberulent mainly toward base, white hirsute on throat, 2-lipped to 1/4 its length; upper lip broadly triangular, ca. 3 × 5 mm; lower lip larger, triangular, ca. 4 × 5 mm, teeth narrowly triangular. Corolla yellow or purple, to 2.5 cm, pilose; tube much exserted, to 1.5 cm, ca. 2 mm wide at base, to 6 mm wide at throat, not hairy annulate inside; upper lip folded-falcate, ca. 12 × 4 mm, nearly at a right angle to lower lip; lower lip spreading, oblong, ca. 8 × 6 mm; middle lobe obcordate, ca. 4 × 5 mm. Filaments ca. 4 mm; anthers ca. 5 mm, connectives ca. 1.4 cm, upper arms ca. 1 cm, lower arms ca. 4 mm. Nutlets brownish, ellipsoid, ca. 2.5 mm, apex slightly pubescent. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul.

* Field margins, hillsides. Hubei

Salvia vasta is a perennial plant that is native to Hubei province in China, growing on the margins of fields and on hillsides. The plant grows on erect stems, typically 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in) tall, sometimes to 100 cm (39 in). Inflorescences are terminal raceme-panicles that are 15 to 35 cm (5.9 to 13.8 in) long, with a yellow or purple corolla that is 2.5 cm (0.98 in).

There are two named varieties. The margin of the middle lobe of the corolla lip of Salvia vasta var. vasta is entire or undulate, while that of Salvia vasta var. fimbriata is fimbriate-denticulate.