Gymnanthemum extensum (Wall. ex DC.) Steetz

Himalaya (Nepal to Bhutan), Assam, Burma.

1600-1700 m

Shrubs or subshrubs 2–6 m tall. Stems caulescent, young branches inconspicuously ribbed, white puberulous. Leaves 7–13 by 2–4 cm, oblanceolate, margin serrate, apex acute, base attenuate, chartaceous; upper surface puberulous, without glands; lower surface puberulous with whip-shaped hairs, cylindrical hairs and capitate glands; lateral veins 7–12-paired; petioles up to 1 cm long. Capitulescences terminal, corymbose. Capitula narrowly campanulate, 14–16 mm long, pedunculate. Receptacle convex, 1–1.5 mm in diam., hairy. Involucres slightly oblong-cylindrical, in 5–6 series, 8–10 mm long, 3–4 mm in diam. Phyllaries imbricate, green, margin piliferous, outer surface arachnoid without glands; the outer and the middle ones, ovate, apex obtuse; the inner ones lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, apex obtuse or rounded. Florets 5–10; corollas funnelform, purple or white, glandular, corolla tubes 6–7 mm long; corolla lobes 4–4.5 mm long. Anthers 4–4.5 mm long, apical appendage acute, base obtuse. Styles purple, 9–10 mm long, branches 2, 4–5 mm long. Achenes turbinate, 3–3.5 mm long, 10-ribbed, covered with dense hairs and capitate glands. Pappus in 2 series of bristles, the inner ones 8.5–9 mm long, persistent.

Thailand: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai. China (Yunnan), India, Nepal, Myanmar.

Gymnanthemum extensum, also known as bitterleaf tree, Chinese: 展枝斑鸠菊 zhan zhi ban jiu ju, Thai: หนานเฉาเหว่ย nan chao woei, is a species of flowering shrub of the family Asteraceae. It is an up to 8 m shrub or small tree found naturally growing at 1,200 m (3,900 ft) to 2,100 m (6,900 ft) above sea level in open forests or thickets in slopes, valleys and by the roadside.