Ourisia pygmaea

Ourisia pygmaea plants are perennial, repent, herbs. The short stems are 0.4–0.8 mm wide, and glabrous (hairless). Leaves are opposite, tightly clustered, petiolate, 1.4–5.3 mm long by 1.3–4.8 mm wide (length: width ratio 0.9–1.2:1). Leaf petioles are 1.3–6.4 mm long and usually glabrous or with a few short non-glandular hairs. Leaf blades are broadly ovate or very broadly ovate, widest below the middle, with a rounded apex, cuneate or truncate base, and smooth or shallowly-notched edges. The upper surface of the leaf is usually glabrous or with a few short non-glandular hairs, and the lower surface is glabrous and punctate. Inflorescences are erect, up to 38 mm long, with a solitary flower, and each plant has usually 1–3 inflorescences. Each flower has up to 2 bracts that are lanceolate or narrowly ovate. The bracts are similar to the leaves but smaller, 2.3–3.5 mm long and 0.8–1.6 mm wide and sessile. The flowers are borne on a pedicel that is up to 25.4 mm long and glabrous, or sometimes with a few short non-glandular or glandular hairs. The calyx is 3.2–4.2 mm long, regular, with all 5 lobes equally divided to the base of the calyx, usually glabrous. The corolla is 8.3–11.5 mm long (including a 4.2–6.7 mm long corolla tube), bilabiate, straight, tubular-funnelform, white, and glabrous inside and outside. …

Ourisia pygmaea is endemic to the Andes mountains of southern Argentina and Chile from approximately 37°S to 45°S latitude. It is found in the Argentinean provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut, including some national parks, and the Chilean regions of Biobío, Los Ríos, Los Lagos and Araucanía. It can be found from 900 to 2500 m above sea level in wet or rocky habitats, often near running water, sometimes with mosses and sedges or below the tree line in Nothofagus forest.