Salvia cyclostegia E. Peter

Plants perennial. Stems robust, brown villous. Petiole of basal leaves 2-8 cm, shorter to obsolete in upper leaves, brown villous; leaf blade broadly ovate to circular, 2.3-13 × 1.2-6.5 cm, densely glandular, pilose on veins, base cordate to hastate, margin crenate, apex rounded to obtuse. Verticillasters 2-6-flowered, in racemes or panicles to 20 cm; rachis densely brown villous; lower bracts subcircular, 1-2 cm in diam., upper bracts broadly ovate to ovate. Pedicel ca. 2 mm, densely brown villous. Calyx broadly campanulate, 1-1.5 cm, sparsely glandular, brown villous along veins; upper lip entire, emarginate; lower lip slightly longer, teeth triangular, apex short mucronate. Corolla sparsely pubescent, densely so on upper lip outside; tube pilose annulate inside, base cylindric, apex dilated on upper side, 2-3 cm, slightly curved upward; upper lip erect, circular-ovate, ca. 9 mm; lower lip longer, middle lobe obcordate, ca. 0.8 × 1.2 cm, margin slightly undulate, glabrous; lateral lobes semicircular, ca. 5 mm wide, ciliate. Filaments ca. 7 mm; connectives ca. 6 mm, arcuate, arms subequal. Style exserted. Nutlets unknown. Fl. Apr-May.

Sichuan, Yunnan

Forests, hillsides, grasslands, bamboo forests, pine forests; 2700-3300 m.

Salvia cyclostegia is a perennial plant that is native to forests, grasslands, and hillsides in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in China, growing at elevations from 2,700 to 3,300 m (8,900 to 10,800 ft). The leaves are broadly ovate to circular, and range in size from 2.3 to 13 cm (0.91 to 5.12 in) long and 1.2 to 6.5 cm (0.47 to 2.56 in) wide.

Inflorescences are racemes or panicles up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long, with a 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) corolla.

There are two varieties: Salvia cyclostegia var. cyclostegia has a flower that is white, yellowish, or creamy yellow with some grey spotting. Salvia cyclostegia var. purpurascens has a purplish or reddish flower.