Litsea dorsalicana M.Q. Han & Y.S. Huang, 2013

Han, Meng-Qi, Huang, Yu-Song, Liu, Jing & Xu, Wei-Bin, 2013, Litsea dorsalicana (Lauraceae): a new species from limestone areas in northern Guangxi, China, Phytotaxa 118 (2), pp. 56-60 : 56-59

Litsea dorsalicana M.Q. Han & Y.S. Huang , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 & 2 )

Litsea dorsalicana is similar to Litsea elongata (Nees) J. D. Hooker (1886: 165) , but can be distinguished from the latter by twigs, buds and abaxial leaf surface densely covered with gray-white pubescence, leaf blade oblanceolate to oblong, to 29.5 cm long, 10.5 cm wide, base cuneate to attenuate, fruit red, cupule cup-shaped, once or twice cleft at the margin.

Type: — CHINA. Guangxi: Huanjiang County, Mulun National Nature Reserve , alt 648 m, 25°08' N, 107°55' E, 20 Apr. 2012, Y. S . Huang , Y. B . Liao & M. Q . Han Y1330 (holotype IBK!, isotype IBK!) .

Evergreen shrubs, 2–3 m tall. Bark brown, young branchlets gray-white, densely covered with gray-white pubescence. Leaf buds ovate, bud scales imbricate, outside densely covered with gray-white pubescence. Leaves alternate, leaf blade oblanceolate to oblong, 12–29.5 × 2.7–10.5 cm, coriaceous, apex acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate, upper leaf surfaces with dense, gray-white pubescence, but glabrescent in age, lower leaf surfaces with dense, gray-white pubescence, lateral veins 8–15 pairs, reticulate veins conspicuous, foveolate abaxially, petiole 0.6–3.3 cm long, dense, gray-white pubescent, sparsely when old. Inflorescences solitary or clustered, peduncle short or absent. Fruit ovoid, 11–19 × 6–11 mm, red at maturity, cupule cup-shaped, once or twice cleft at the margin, depth ca. 3 mm, ca. 6 mm in diam. Fruiting pedicel 2–5 mm long.

Distribution, habitat and ecology: — Litsea dorsalicana grows in karst hillside and peaks, at an elevation between 600 and 900 m. It is so far only known from three populations in Mulun National Nature Reserve of northern Guangxi, China.

Phenology: —This new species has been observed in fruits from March to May.

Etymology: —The epithet refers to its leaf blade gray-white pubescent abaxially.

Vernacular name: —Chinese mandarin: huibei mujiangzi, which translates as ‘gray-backed Litsea’.

Similar species: — Litsea dorsalicana is similar to L. elongata , L. acutivena Hayata (1915: 163) and L. kobuskiana Allen (1938: 389) . The diagnostic characters of the new species and its similar species are listed comparatively in Table 1.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — CHINA. Guangxi: Huanjiang County, Mulun National Nature Reserve , 10 August 1994, F. N . Wei & Y . Liu M0114 ( IBK). Same locality, 20 August 1993, F. N . Wei 2021 ( IBK). Same locality, 22 August 1994, F. N . Wei & Y . Liu M0299 ( IBK). Same locality, 9 August 2011, L . Wu, R. C . Peng & J. C . Yang ML0098 ( IBK). Same locality, 19 April 2012, R. H . Jiang, J. C . Yang & S. S . Mo 11335 ( IBK). Same locality, 25 July 2012, R. C . Peng, S. S . Mo & J . Liu ML1962 ( IBK). Same locality, 28 July 2012, R. C . Peng, S. S . Mo & J . Liu ML2050 ( IBK) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Litsea dorsalicana. A) fruiting branch; B) young umbel is enclosed in decussate bracts; C) seed; D) detail of abaxial leaf surface, showing reticulation. Drawn by Wen-Hong Lin.

FIGURE 2. Litsea dorsalicana. A) and B) infructescence; C) and D) fruiting branch; E) abaxial leaf; F) young umbels enclosed in decussate bracts; G) cupules.