Ophiopogon bockianus Diels

Averyanov, Leonid V., Tanaka, Noriyuki, Nguyen, Khang Sinh, Nguyen, Hiep Tien & Konstantinov, Eugene L., 2015, New species of Ophiopogon Ker Gawl., Peliosanthes Andrews and Tupistra Ker Gawl. (Asparagaceae) in the flora of Laos and Vietnam, Adansonia 37 (1), pp. 25-45 : 26-28

Ophiopogon bockianus Diels ( Fig. 1 )

Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 29, 2: 254 (1900). — O. mairei H.Lév. Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 11: 493 (1913). — Type: China. Yunnan. Bord des torrents sous bois à Ku-Long-Tchang, 800 m, VI.1911, E. E . Maire s.n. (holo-, P [ P00753592 ]!; iso-, E!) TYPUS . — China. Sichuan. Nanchuan: Chang ling kang, Aug. , C . Bock & A . v.Rosthorn 641 (syntypus-, W?); Talu chih, IX. C . Bock & A . v. Rosthorn 984 (syntypus-, W?) .

HABITAT AND PHENOLOGY. — Primary and secondary broad-leaved evergreen dry forest on cliffs and on very steep slopes of remnant hill composed of highly eroded limestone at elevations 900-1000 m a.s.l., usually in shady places on rocky slopes.Flowers in October-November. Locally common. Expected IUCN Red List status – LC.

DISTRIBUTION. — Vietnam (Son La province, Van Ho district).

China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi) .

Laos (Xiangkhoang, recorded by Newman et al. 2007).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Vietnam. Son Laprovince, Van Hodistrict, Xuan Nha municipality, Muong An village , territory of Xuan Nha natural reserve, remnants of primary and secondary broad-leaved evergreen dry forest on cliffs and on very steep slopes of remnant hill composed of highly eroded limestone at elevations 900-1000 m a.s.l. around point 20°44’50.1”N, 104°47’54.5’’E, terrestrial herb on shady rocky slope, flowers white, locally common, 16.XI.2013, L .Averyanov, N. T.Hiep, N. S.Khang, N.D.Thang, L. D.Qui, CPC 7217 ( CPC!, LE!) .

REMARKS

The plant here concerned has comparatively small flowers and free anthers. In these respects and other characters, it agrees with Ophiopogon mairei H.Lév. described from Yunnan, China. Handel-Mazzetti (1936), who examined the type specimens of O. bockianus Diels described from southeastern Sichuan, regarded O. mairei as the synonym of O. bockianus . A specimen from Hunan, China, which Handel-Mazzetti himself collected and identified as O. bockianus (no. 11195 preserved at E!) has slightly larger flowers and connate anthers, but in many other respects it is very close to O. mairei . A specimen from Guizhou, China ( E.Bodinier 2293 at E!), has comparatively large flowers but free anthers. The anthers of O. mairei (e.g. isotype at E!) are free but very closely situated side by side. Surveys of several specimens of this plant group lead us to regard O. bockianus and O. mairei as conspecific, although they locally vary to some extent in the length ofbasal stalky part of perianth, flower size, and the degree of cohesion between adjoining anthers. Ophiopogon bockianus sensu lato (including O. mairei , but excluding O. bockianus var. angustifoliatus W.F.Wang &Tang ) has an ascending, somewhat thick, elongate, estoloniferous stem becoming rhizome-like with age, somewhat thick roots, proximal sheath(-like) leaves with transversally rugulose, scarious wings, slightly falcate leaves, antrorse floral bracts whith conspicuous hyaline marginally, pedicels usually significantly shorter than the basal stalky part of perianth, somewhat broad, ovate anthers located closely side by side or connate between adjoining ones, and ovary slightly concave at the apical center.

Ophiopogon bockianus here recircumscribed (i.e. including O. mairei ) has hitherto not been recorded from Vietnam. The discovery of this species may imply a strong floristic relation between northern Vietnam, Laos ( Newman et al. 2007), and southwestern China.

Figures

FIG. 1. — Ophiopogon bockianus Diels:A, upper portion of inflorescence; B, flower,side view; C, intact flower,frontal view;D, flower with 3 frontal tepals removed, side view; E, flower with 3 frontal tepals and stamens removed,side view; F, sagittal section of flower with stamens removed; G, sepal; (from left to right) abaxial, adaxial and side views;H, petal;(from left to right) abaxial, adaxial and side views; I, stamen;(from upper to lower) adaxial, abaxial and side views; J, ovary, cross section. Drawn from specimen - CPC 6586 by L.Averyanov and T.Maisak. Scale bars: A, 1 cm; B-H, J, 5 mm; I, 2 mm.