Dysosma pleiantha, an important threatened medicinal plant species, is restricted in distribution to southeastern China. The species is capable of reproducing both sexually and asexually. Dysosma pleiantha, Plants 20-60(-80) cm tall. Rhizomes creeping, stout, nodose, with numerous fibrous roots; aerial stems erect, solitary, glabrous. Leaves opposite; petiole 10-28 cm, angulate, glabrous; leaf blade abaxially pale yellowish green, adaxially dark green, usually shiny, suborbicular in gross outline, 16-33 cm in diam., papery, both surfaces glabrous, 5-9-lobed; lobes broadly triangular-ovate, margin spinose-serrulate, apex acute. Inflorescence 5-8-fascicled flowers. Pedicel 2-4 cm, often nodding, glabrous. Flowers attached at base of petiole, purplish red. Sepals caducous, elliptic-oblong or ovate-oblong, 1-2 × ca. 0.8 cm. Petals 6-9, purplish red, obovate-oblong, 3-4 × 1-1.3 cm. Stamens falcate-inflexed, ca. 2.3 cm; filaments flat, 7-8 mm; anthers ca. 1.5 cm; anther connective prolonged.