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Circaeaster agrestis

Updated：2021-11-05 Source：Shennongjia National Park

Circaeaster agrestis, a rare annual herb, grows 3–10 cm tall with delicate stems and slender roots. Flowering from May to June and fruiting July to September, it is sparsely distributed in southern Shaanxi, central Gansu, southern Qinghai, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. As a monotypic genus, its habitats are fragmented due to deforestation. This shade-loving species requires diffuse light and moist environments, forming dominant understory communities by releasing allelopathic compounds. Associated plants include Tiarella polyphylla, Urtica gracilis, and Ligularia spp.