Smilax microdontus Z.S. Sun & C.X. Fu, 2015

Sun, Zhong-Shuai, Wang, Yi-Han, Zhao, Yun-Peng & Fu, Cheng-Xin, 2015, Molecular, chromosomal and morphological characters reveal a new diploid species in the Smilax china complex (Smilacaceae), Phytotaxa 212 (3), pp. 199-212 : 209

Smilax microdontus Z.S. Sun & C.X. Fu , sp. nov. ( Fig. 5 )

Species nova S. china L. affinis, sed caule erecto margine laminarum microdonta differt. — The epithet refers to the leaf blade margin with small teeth. S. china auct. non. L. ( Huang et al. 1997: 279; Kong et al. 2007: 257).

Type:— CHINA. Hubei: Fangxian County, Qiaoshang Town, near the edge of the broad-leaved forest, 840 m, 15 October 1992, C.X. Fu 92103 (holotype HZU [ HZU 60089573]!, isotypes HZU [ HZU 60089574, HZU 60089575]!).

Woody perennial, erect or slightly climbing, deciduous. Stems branched, zigzag to straight, 0.5–2.0 m, smooth or sparsely prickly. Petioles 6–14 (–20) mm, narrowly winged for ca. 2/3 its length; abscission zone just above winged portion; tendrils usually present. Leaf blade papery, usually ovate to orbicular, 2.7–4.4(–10.8) × 2.1–4.0(–7.8) cm, wide, base rounded to suddenly contracted, apex rounded to shallowly emarginate, leaf margin denticulate. Inflorescences born in axils of young leaves on branchlets, each ending in one umbel, basally no prophyllum; peduncle 8–15 mm; umbels of both sexes (3–)5–8-flowered; bracteoles persistent. Male flowers with tepals yellowish green, 3.5–4 × 1–2 mm. Female flowers equaling male ones. Berries globose, 5–7 mm in diam., red at maturity. Flowering March–April; fruiting October–November.

Paratypes:— CHINA. Hubei: Fangxian, Qiaoshang , near the edge of the broad-leaved forest, 850m, 3 April 2001, C. X. Fu & X. W. Zhou 2001001, 2001003 ( HZU) ; Fangxian, Qiaoshang , near the edge of the broad-leaved forest, 31°93 ′ 49.03 ″ N, 110°72 ′ 85.08 ″ E, 763 m, 25 October 2008, C. X. Fu 0810301 ( HZU) ; Jiangsu: Yixing, Shanjuandong , 31°17 ′ 54 ″ N, 119°39 ′ 57 ″ E, 46–100 m, 22 July 2011, Z. S. Sun S1107010 , S1107011 , S1107012 , S1107013 , S1107014 , S1107015 ( HZU) ; Shandong: Zaozhuang, Baodugu , 34°59 ′ 08.56 ″ N, 117°42 ′ 46.50 ″ E, 240–400 m, 28 August 2009, Z. S. Sun S090801 , S090802 , S090812 , S090813 ( HZU) .

Distribution and ecology:— Smilax microdontus usually grows on mountain slopes at 50–1000 m near the edge of primary, subtropical, monsoonal evergreen broad-leaved forests. In our survey, we found Smilax microdontus at Mt. Shennongjia in Hubei, Zaozhuang in Shandong and Yixing in Jiangsu in central and eastern China.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Smilax microdontus Z.S. Sun & C.X. Fu, sp. nov. A. Fertile branch with fruits; B. Enlarged leaf margin, show the small teeth; C. Narrowly winged petiole; D. Staminate flower; E. Fruit; F.Seed. Drawn by Dr. Xiaofeng Jin.