Salvia nanchuanensis is an annual or biennial herb that is native to Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

 and Sichuan

Sichuan

' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...

 provinces in China, growing on riverbanks, rocky slopes, and open areas at 1700 to 1800 m (5,577.4 to 5,905.5 ft) elevation. S. nanchuanensis grows on erect stems to 35 cm (13.8 in) tall. Inflorescences are widely spaced 2-6 flowered verticillasters in terminal raceme

Raceme

A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...

s, with a reddish corolla that is approximately 1.1 cm (0.433070866141732 in).

There are two named varieties. S.  nanchuanensis var. nanchuanensis has leaves that are 1-2 pinnately compound, with terminal leaflets that are ovate to lanceolate. S.  nanchuanensis var. pteridifolia has leaves that are 3-4 pinnately compound, with terminal leaflets or lobules linear.