Cansjera rheedei J. F. Gmelin 1791

Chen, Po-Hao, Chung, An-Ching & Yang, Sheng-Zehn, 2020, First report of the root parasite Cansjera rheedei (Santalales: Opiliaceae) in Taiwan, Biodiversity Data Journal 8, pp. 51544-51544 : 51544

Cansjera rheedei J. F. Gmelin 1791

Materials

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordNumber: P.H. Chen 2583; recordedBy: P.H. Chen and A.C. Chung; Taxon: scientificNameID: Cansjerarheedei; Location: country: Taiwan; county: Miaoli; locality: Tongxiao Township, Aykoouliau ; verbatimElevation: 50-100 m; Event: year: 2019; month: 11; day: 24; Record Level: type: specimen; collectionCode: PPI Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordNumber: P.H. Chen 2584; recordedBy: P.H. Chen and A.C. Chung; Taxon: scientificNameID: Cansjerarheedei; Location: country: Taiwan; county: Miaoli; locality: Tongxiao Township, Aykoouliau ; verbatimElevation: 50-100 m; Event: year: 2019; month: 11; day: 24; Record Level: type: specimen; collectionCode: PPI

Description

Shrubs or climbing shrubs with spiny stems (Fig. 2 A and B), gradually turning into lianas, branchlets densely tomentose. Leaves simple, alternate, lanceolate or ovate, 5.5-9.5 × 2-3 cm, base acute, margin entire or sinuate, apex acuminate, adaxial surface dark green, sparsely pubescent, abaxial surface light green, subglabrous, with obvious reticulate veins, lateral veins 5-7, midrib elevated at both surfaces and densely tomentose, petioles 2-3 mm long, densely tomentose (Fig. 2 C-E). Inflorescences spikes, axillary, 1-3 fascicled, 1.5-2 cm long, flowers 8-13; bracts ovate or lanceolate, 1-1.5 × 0.3-0.7 mm, tomentose outside; perianth urceolate, lobes 4, yellowish, tomentose outside, perianth tube 2.5-3 × 2 mm, perianth lobes triangular, 1 × 1 mm, recurved; stamens 4, as many as and opposite to perianth lobes, filaments filiform, 3 mm long, anthers 2-loculed, longitudinal dehiscence; ovary 1, cylindrical, 2 mm long, 1-loculed, ovule 1, style short, stigma capitate, disc 4, inconspicuously lobed, the same number and opposite to the scales; scales 4, erect, the same number and alternate to stamens, triangular, 1 × 1 mm (Fig. 2 F-J). Drupe ellipsoidal, orange to red, 11-13 × 8-10 mm, sessile on persistent disc (Fig. 2 K-M).

Chinese name

山柑藤

Distribution

Cansjera rheedei is distributed from India and Nepal to southern China and western Malaysia ( Hiepko 2008). The population found in Taiwan grows along roadsides at about 50-100 m elevation in the central part of the island (Fig. 1 ). About forty to fifty mature individuals have been found in the 1.0 ha habitat near a secondary forest with human activities, such as land development and utilisation.

Ecology

The population found is located along roadsides where the soil matrix comprises mainly sandy and gravel. Plants grow adjacent to a secondary forest dominated by Cinnamomum camphora , whose stem diameter is up to 1 m. Other plants found at the site include Acacia confusa Merr. ( Fabaceae ), Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm. ( Zingiberaceae ), Callerya reticulata (Benth.) Schot ( Fabaceae ), Celtis sinensis Pers. ( Cannabaceae ), Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R. Br. ( Apocynaceae ), Ipomoea cairica (L.) Sweet ( Convolvulaceae ), Mallotus japonicus (Spreng.) Müll. Arg. ( Euphorbiaceae ), Mallotus repandus (Rottler) Müll. Arg., Panicum maximum Jacq. ( Poaceae ), Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem. ( Apocynaceae ) and Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC. ( Rutaceae ). Recorded flowering and fruiting periods are from November to May.

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution of Cansjera rheedei J. F. Gmelin in Miaoli County, central Taiwan.

Figure 2. Cansjera rheedei J. F. Gmelin. A. Habitat; B. Thorns derived from short shoots; C. Leaf, adaxial view; D. Leaf, abaxial view; E. Inflorescence, axillary, 1 - 3 fascicled; F. Spikes with 8 - 13 flowers, perianth urceolate, perianth lobes 4; G. Bract, tomentose outside (left) and glossy inside (right); H. Dissected flower, with erect scales (arrow); I. dissected flower, stamens 4, as many as and opposite to perianth lobes; J. Ovary cylindrical; K. Immature drupe, disc (arrowhead), scales (arrow) and perianth withered and dropped (star). L. Drupe ellipsoidal; M. Matured drupes, orange to red. Scale bars: C-E = 1 cm; F = 2 mm, G-J = 1 mm, M = 5 mm. All pictures taken by the authors, except K, which was photographed by Hsieh Jo-Ping; L-M, which were photographed by Ming-Hui Chan.