Salvia maximowicziana Hemsl.

Plants perennial. Stems 10-90 cm, glandular pilose. Petioles of basal leaves 2-2.5 × as long as blades, shorter in stem leaves; leaf blade circular-cordate to ovate-cordate, 3-8(-12) × 6-8(-12) cm, adaxially subglabrous or sparsely minutely hispid, abaxially pubescent along veins, glandular, base cordate to subhastate, margin coarsely crenate-dentate, sometimes double dentate and incised, apex rounded to abrupt acuminate. Verticillasters 2-flowered, widely spaced, in loose racemes or panicles; rachis glandular pilose; upper bracts lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 3-7 mm, margin glandular pilose. Pedicel 1-2 mm, glandular pilose. Calyx campanulate, ca. 6 mm, sparsely pilose; upper lip broadly triangular, ca. 2.5 × 5 mm, 3-veined, slightly reflexed, apex abrupt acuminate; lower lip ca. as long as upper teeth triangular, spinescent, slightly curved, apex mucronate; fruiting calyx dilated, ca. 0.8 × 1.2 cm, mouth wide open. Corolla ca. 2.2 cm, sparsely puberulent, pilose annulate inside; tube erect, adaxially slightly dilated, to 8 mm wide at throat; upper lip slightly galeate, ovate, ca. 5 × 4 mm, emarginate; lower lip subequal upper, middle lobe cordate, ca. 3 × 4 mm, margin entire; lateral lobes semicircular to subtruncate. Stamens exserted; filaments ca. 5 mm; connectives ca. 5.5 mm, arcuate, upper arms ca. 3 mm, lower arms ca. 2.5 mm. Style exserted. Nutlets yellow-brown, obovoid, slightly flattened, ca. 2.5 × 1.5 mm, apex rounded, base slightly acute. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan

* Grasslands, forest margins, hills, forests; 1800-3800 m.

Salvia maximowicziana is a perennial plant that is found growing on grasslands, forests, and forest edges in China, at 1,800 to 3,300 m (5,900 to 10,800 ft) elevation. It grows 10 to 90 cm (3.9 to 35.4 in) tall, with circular-cordate to ovate-cordate leaves that are typically 3 to 8 cm (1.2 to 3.1 in) long and 6 to 8 cm (2.4 to 3.1 in) wide. The upper leaf surface is nearly smooth, or lightly covered with hairs, while the underside has glandular hairs on the veins.

The inflorescence is of loose racemes or panicles, with a 2.2 cm (0.87 in) corolla. Salvia maximowicziana var. maximowicziana has a yellow corolla, while Salvia maximowicziana var. floribunda has a purple corolla.