Piper motuoense X.W.Qin, F.Su & C.Y.Hao, 2024
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.238.115494 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/24A792C8-C689-5716-AE74-229B484DF470 |
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scientific name |
Piper motuoense X.W.Qin, F.Su & C.Y.Hao |
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sp. nov. |
Piper motuoense X.W.Qin, F.Su & C.Y.Hao sp. nov.
Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2
Diagnosis.
The new species is morphologically similar to P. yinkiangense , but can be easily distinguished from the latter in several aspects. The leaf-blades 12.5-18 × 3.5-6.5 cm, elliptic or ovate to lanceolate (vs. 11-14 × 6.5-8.5 cm, oblique-ovate), chartaceous (vs. membranous), abaxially sparsely villous along the mid-vein (vs. abaxially sparsely hispidulous), gonophyll leaves 7-9 secondary vein pairs, the outer pair arising 2-4 cm above base (vs. 8-9, outer pair arising 1-2 cm above base), base bilaterally clinging to the petiole and overlap together (vs. basal sinus 1-2 mm wide on side of longer and wider lobe, 4-5 mm wide on other side, bilaterally free for 2-3 mm), floral bracts sessile (vs. petiolate) and stigmas 3, 4 or 5 (vs. 4). P. motuoense also resembles P. anisotis in the shape of leaves and fruit, but differs from the latter in the leaves vein 7-9 (vs. 5-7), leave base bilateral clinging to petiole and overlap together (vs. bilateral free for 1-2 mm) (Table 1 View Table 1 ).
Type.
China. (Xizang): Linzhi, Motuo City, Beibeng , climbing on the taller trees in tropical rainforest, 29°10′48″N, 95°00′06″E, elevation ca. 490 m, 3 Oct. 2021, Xiao-Wei Qin et al. 20211003, 20231016 (Holotype: IBSC0918558; Isotype: IBSC0918559, IBSC0918560, IBSC0918561) GoogleMaps .
Description.
Lianas over 5 m long, with climbing adventitious roots, dioecious, perennial, densely villous when young, becoming glabrous when mature. Roots dimorphic; basal roots terrestrial, feeding; adventitious roots produced along the aerial nodes, clasping the phorophyte. Stems climbing upwards, internodes terete, striated, with red stripes when they are young, swollen nodes. Leaves dimorphic, distichously-alternate, petiolate, blades chartaceous, glandular. Trophophyll leaves with petiole 2.5-3 cm long, cylinder-shaped in cross-section, red, pubescence; leaf-blades 7-9 × 5-6 cm, cordate to elliptic, adaxially dark green, glabrous, abaxially surface pale green, sparsely villous, especially along the veins, base usually cordate, symmetric, apex short-acuminate to long-acuminate; mid-vein red, 5-7 pairs, red, all basal, when 7, the outermost pair inconspicuous. Gonophyll leaves with petiole 0.3-0.4 cm long, cylinder-shaped in cross-section, pale green, densely pubescence; leaf-blades 12.5-18 × 3.5-6.5 cm, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate; 7-9 pairs of secondary veins; when 9 veins, the outermost pair is very weak; apical pair 2-4 cm above base, reaching leaf apex, alternate, others basal, reticulate veins prominent; adaxial surface dark green, glabrous or sparsely villous on the mid-vein, abaxial surface pale green, densely villous, especially on the veins; base auriculate-cordate, asymmetrical, bilateral clinging to leaves petiole and healing together, apex long acuminate. Inflorescence a pedunculate spike, leaf-opposed, pendulous; peduncle flexible, cylindrical; spadix cylindrical, the fertile rachis hairy, with densely compacted flowers; floral bracts sessile, imbricate, ca. 1 mm in diam., orbicular or suborbicular, piligerous, margin irregular, undulate. Staminate inflorescences 5.5-8 cm long, peduncles 3-4 cm long, villous; spike 2.5-4 × 0.5-0.7 cm, villous, pale green when young, pale yellow to white when mature; stamens 1, filaments 0.6-1 mm long, stout, hyaline, anthers 0.4-0.7 × 0.2-0.5 mm, 2-thecous, reniform, white before dehiscence, black after dehiscence, dehiscence lateral. Pistillate inflorescences 6-8 cm long, peduncles 2-3 cm long, piliferous; spike 4-5 × 0.5-0.7 cm, pale green when young, pale yellow to white when mature; ovary 1.6-2 × 1.4-1.8 mm, sessile, free from the neighbouring ones, obovoid, green, style 1-1.2 mm long, stigmas 3-5, 0.8-1 mm long, filiform, reflexed, cream-coloured at anthesis, becoming tan to light grey post-anthesis. Infructescence leaf-opposed, 5-7 × 1-1.2 cm; cylindrical; with densely compacted fruits; pendulous, cylindrical, piliferous. Drupes 3-3.5 × 2.5-3 mm, sessile, free from the neighbouring ones, subglobose, remaining attached to rachis at maturity, piligerous, persistent style 0.3-0.5 mm long, cylindrical; epicarp green, mesocarp pale green, translucent, endocarp dark yellow. Seeds 1-1.2 × 0.6-0.8 mm, obovoid, ochre to dark yellow, testa smooth.
Phenology.
Flowering from June to October; fruiting from September to November.
Etymology.
The specific epithet refers to its distribution, Motuo County, Xizang, in China.
Vernacular name.
Chinese: 墨脱胡椒 ( mò tuō hú jiāo). ‘Mò Tuō’ is a place name, which is the literal translation of the specific epithet motuoense and ‘hú jiāo’ is the Chinese name of Piper .
Habitat and distribution.
The new species is currently known only from its type locality in Beibeng Town, Motuo County, Xizang Autonomous Region (Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ). The new species grows very well in the type locality, as it has been recorded in three different sites (Beibeng, Damu and Tiger’s Mouth). It occurs in wet tropical rainforest at elevations of 490-1700 m and often climbs on taller trees or rocks.
Comments.
P. motuoense was initially misidentified as P. anisotis from India, and Motuo is close to Assam in India. After examination of material of P. anisotis we found that the new species differs in a number of characters. We also compared it with P. yinkiangense . The differences amongst these three species are summarised in Table 1 View Table 1 .
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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