Schizotechium delavayi (Franch.) Gang Yao, B.Xue & Z.Q.Song (2023: 16)

Kafle, Rashika & Parmar, Gaurav, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Schizotechium (Caryophyllaceae) in Nepal, including one new record, Phytotaxa 645 (1), pp. 29-42 : 31-32

Schizotechium delavayi (Franch.) Gang Yao, B.Xue & Z.Q.Song (2023: 16) .

≡ Stellaria delavayi Franch. (1889: 97) .

Lectotype (designated by Xue et al. 2023):— CHINA. Yunnan Province, in the meadows on the sides of the hills near Houang-li-pin, 2000 m, 22 September 1887, J.M. Delavay 3131 ( P01902907 !, isolectotypes K000723437 !, K000723438 !, P01902906 !, P01902908 !, P01902909 !, P01902910 !) .

Stellaria monosperma f. scabrifolia M.Mizush. (1957: 249) .

Holotype:— CHINA. Yunnan, Szemao, s.d., A. Henry 13562 ( US 00902388!).

Nomenclatural note: — Hara (1979) reported the presence of Stellaria monosperma f. scabrifolia in Nepal. Recently, it has been treated as the synonym of Schizotechium paniculatum ( GBIF 2024, POWO 2024). However, the population of S. monosperma f. scabrifolia and S. paniculatum possess various morphological dissimilarities. Hara (1966) treated Stellaria delavayi (now Schizotechium delavayi ) as a doubtful synonym of S. monosperma f. scabrifolia in the Flora of Eastern Himalaya. During this study, the protologue description of S. monosperma f. scabrifolia , including its type specimen was found to be similar to that of S. delavayi . Therefore, this study treated S. delavayi and S. monosperma f. scabrifolia as conspecific. But, as the name S. delavayi was published in 1889 which is prior to the publication of S. monosperma f. scabrifolia in 1957, the former name is the accepted one according to the principle of ICN ( Turland et al., 2018).

Diagnosis: —Scabrous, rough green in appearance; stems (15–)25–60(–110) cm; leaves sessile to subsessile, lance-ovate to ovate, base rounded to subcordate with scabrid hairs on both surfaces; flowers few, peduncles up to 10 cm; petals half to sepals; stamens 5; seeds surface corrugate.

Description: —Perennial herbs. Roots fleshy, fusiform with simple lateral roots. Scabrous and rough green in appearance, white uniseriate multicellular eglandular or glandular scabrous hairs mostly on apical parts, usually subglabrous on basal and median parts. Stems ascending, sometimes prostrate, sparse to simple branching, mature stem pale yellowish green, immature stem pale green with dense scabrous hairs, (15–)25–60(–110) cm, 4-angled, feeble. Basal and median leaves sub-sessile or petiolate; petioles 2–6 mm, scabrous; leaf blade rough green, lance-ovate to ovate, (1–)1.5–6 × 0.4–2.5 cm, leaf base rounded to subcordate, apex narrowly acute to acuminate, margins entire and scabrous, both surfaces scabrous, midvein depressed adaxially, venation conspicuous and closed; apical leaves subsessile to sessile, leaf blade rough green, lance-ovate to ovate, 0.4–3(–4) × 0.1–1.5 cm, base rounded to broadly cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, margins entire and hairy, both surfaces scabrous, midvein conspicuous and hairy, venation closed. Flowers few, in terminal or axillary paniculate cymes, di- or rarely tri-chotomously branched, diffuse. Peduncles up to 10 cm, glandular hairy. Bracts foliaceous in pair, subsessile to sessile, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1–5 × 0.8–2 mm, base cuneate, apex acuminate to narrowly acute, margins entire and hairy, subglabrous or densely hairy, both surfaces shiny or rough, midvein conspicuous in basal bracts. Pedicels slender, 2–10 mm, densely scabrous hairs at all surfaces, sticky. Flowers (6–) 6.5–8 mm across, reduced. Sepals 5, lanceolate, 4–4.5 × 1–1.2 mm, base rounded, apex acute, narrowly membranaceous, adaxially glabrous, abaxially scabrous hairs on both base and apex, midrib conspicuous. Petals 5, obovate with abrupt tapering cuneate base, 2–2.2 × 1.4–1.6 mm, half to sepal; lamina 2-cleft up to 1/4–1/3 excluding tapering base, each lobe ovate, apex broadly acute to obtuse, veins inconspicuous. Stamens 5, alternipetalous, 2.2–2.5 mm, almost all stamens equal in length; filaments conspicuously fused at adjoining portion, white, slender, small or reduced nectarous disc with gland lobes present at filaments base; anthers dorsifixed, young anthers white, mature one’s pale apricot, broadly ellipsoid, 0.3–0.4 mm. Ovary broadly ovoid, 0.8–1 mm; styles 3, 1.6–2.2 mm, apex curved and spreading in fruits. Capsules pale green, ovoid, 2.5–3 mm, shorter than sepals, 6- or rarely 4-membranaceous valved; valves oblanceolate, apex obtuse. Seeds pale brown yellowish-brown, ovoid, 2.2–2.4 mm, beak obtuse, shiny, slightly corrugate, margins roughly sinuate, surfaces smooth ( Fig. 2 ).

Phenology:— September to November.

Habitat and distribution:— This species is found in moist and shady places in subtropical forest canopy, temperate broad-leaved coniferous forest to lower belt of subalpine forest floor (1400–3200 m). It is distributed in China, NE India and C & E Nepal.

Additional specimens examined:— NEPAL. Central Nepal: Bagmati Province, Lalitpur district, Godawari, 1455 m, 27°35’43”N, 85°23’27”E, 25 September 2023, G. Parmar & R. Kafle RK352 (KATH!); Manang district, Chame, 2680 m, 12 August 1983, N.P. Manandhar 9775 (KATH!); Sindhuli district, Fikkal, 2009 m, 27°10’6”N, 86°16’15”E, 17 October 2020, R. Kafle, A. Magar & P. Kafle RK050 (KATH!). East Nepal: Koshi Province, Solukhumbu district, Kharikhola (1960 m)–Dudhkoshi (1425 m)–Nunthara (2105 m)–Taksindu (2940 m), 1475 m, 27°37’N, 86°42’E, 21 August 1995, F. Miyamoto, M. Amano, H. Ikeda, C.M. Joshi, K. Arai & T. Komatsu 9588283 (KATH!, TI!).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Schizotechium delavayi. A. Habit, B. Inflorescence, C. Flower, D. Sepals, E. Petal, F. Stamens, G. Pistil, H. Capsule and valve, I. Seeds (photographs by R. Kafle).