Strobilanthes esquirolii H. Lév., 2024

Kladwong, Pornchai & Chantaranothai, Pranom, 2024, Notes on Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) with capitate inflorescences in Thailand, PhytoKeys 244, pp. 89-126 : 89-126

11. Strobilanthes esquirolii H. Lév. , Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 12: 18. 1913.

Figs 4 , 10 D

Tetragoga esquirolii (H. Lév.) E. Hossain in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 32: 410. 1973.

Strobilanthes bombycina J. B. Imlay , Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1939 (3): 124. 1939. Type: Thailand, Kanchanaburi; Si Sawat [Si Sawat], 14 Jan 1926, Kerr 10211 (lectotype BM [ BM 000906285!] designated here; isolectotypes ABD [ ABDUH: 2 / 888 image!], BK [257639!], K [ K 001514899!]), syn. nov.

Strobilanthes leucocephala Craib , Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1914 (3): 130. 1914. Type: Thailand, Lamphun, Mae Tha [Me Ta], Doi Din Deng, 3 Feb 1912, Kerr 2317 (lectotype K [ K 001514901!] designated here; isolectotypes BM [ BM 000906289!], E [ E 00133531!], K [ K 001514900!, K 001514902!, K 001514903!], TCD!).

Goldfussia leucocephala (Craib) C. Y. Wu ex H. P. Tsui & C. C. Hu in Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 70: 165. 2002. Type: Based on Strobilanthes leucocephala Craib.

Type.

China, Kweichow, de Pa-Bonn a Ting-Chan, 16 Dec 1904, Esquirol 322 (holotype E [ E 00133561!]).

Distribution.

Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam.

Ecology.

In hill evergreen forest or mixed deciduous forest with bamboo, limestone granite or sandstone bedrock; 107–2,190 m alt., flowering and fruiting from October to May.

Selected specimens examined.

Thailand, Northern: Mae Hong Son, Mueang, Tham Pla-Namtok Pha Suea NP, Doi Pha Daeng, 680 m alt., 26 Dec 2012, Norsaengsri 10016 ( BKF, QBG); ibid., Pai, Mae Yen Waterfall, 570 m alt., 15 Jan 1983, Koyama 32503 ( BKF, KYO, L); Chiang Mai, Doi Chiang Dao WS, 600–800 m alt., 4 Jan 1954, Garrett 1427 ( K, L 2 sheets, P); ibid., 550 m alt., 8 Mar 1965, Chermsirivathana 298 ( BK, BKF); ibid., 1,250 –1,425 m alt., 4 Dec 1965, Hennipman 3216 ( BKF, K, KYO, L, P); ibid., 6 Jan 1975, Geesink 8111 ( BKF, K, L); ibid., 1,625 m alt., 5 Nov 1995, Maxwell 95-1077 ( BKF, CMUB, L 2 sheets); ibid., 14 Oct 2019, Kladwong 482 ( KKU) & 483 ( KKU); ibid., Fang, 750 m alt., 27 Feb 1958, Sørensen et al. 1726 ( E); ibid., 700–800 m alt., 11 Jan 1975, Geesink 8217 ( AAU, BKF, K, KYO, L, P) & 8220 ( BKF, K, L); ibid., Mae Taeng, 1,300 m alt., 23 Nov 2001, Maxwell 01-626 ( BKF, CMUB, L); Lamphun, Mae Tha, Doi Din Deng, 3 Feb 1912, Kerr 2317 ( BM, E, K, TCD); Lampang, Doi Khun Than NP, 16 Dec 2019, Balslev et al. 9910 ( AAU); ibid., 25 Oct 2019, Kladwong 509 ( KKU); Tak, Umphang, Ban Mae Lamung, 24 Dec 2010, Suksathan et al. 5429 ( L); Phitsanulok, Chat Trakan, Phu Miang, 2 Oct 1968, Phusomsaeng et al. 11 ( BKF, K, L); ibid., Phu Hin Rong Kla NP, 1,400 –1,600 m alt., 10 Dec 1990, Larsen et al. 41828 ( AAU); North-eastern: Loei, Na Haew, Phu Suan Sai NP, 15 May 2008, Maknoi & Srisanga 2293 ( QBG); ibid., Phu Kradueng NP, 900–1,300 m alt., 17 Dec 1982, Koyama et al. 31205 ( BKF, KYO, L); ibid., Phu Luang WS, 1,300 m alt., 14 Mar 1980, Smitinand s. n. ( BKF); Bueng Kan, Phu Wau WS, 197 m alt., 28 Dec 2011, Norsaengsri & Tathana 8698 ( BKF, QBG); South-western: Uthaitani, Ban Rai, Ban Poo Bon, 300 m alt., 2 Feb 1976, Maxwell 76-56 ( BK, L 2 sheets); Kanchanaburi, Si Sawat, Erawan NP, Huai Lam Tam Ton, 580–600 m alt., 26 Nov 1982, Koyama et al. 30306 ( BKF, KYO, L); without locality, 14 Jan 1926, Kerr 10211 ( ABD, BK, BM, K).

Preliminary conservation status assessment.

This species has an Extent of Occurrence ( EOO) of 195,058.419 km 2 and an Area of Occupancy ( AOO) of 68.000 km 2 and is assessed as Least Concern ( LC) following IUCN (2022).

Notes.

Strobilanthes esquirolii resembles S. brandisii and S. consors in having a densely white tomentose indumentum on bracts, bracteoles and calyx, but it can be distinguished from both in having sulcate stems, oblong-lanceolate bracts. In addition, S. esquirolii is also different by dark green stems and bracts.

Craib (1914) described S. leucocephala based on Kerr 2317 which has seven duplicates, four in K [ K 001514900, K 001514901, K 001514902, K 001514903] and one in each of BM [ BM 000906289], E [ E 00133531] and TCD. K 001514901 has more inflorescences and flowers than the others; therefore, we select this specimen as the lectotype.

We have examined the types of S. bombycina and S. esquirolii and found that they are conspecific because they are densely white tomentose on bracts, bracteoles and calyx and the bracts are oblong-lanceolate. The original protologue of S. bombycina was based on Kerr 10211 ( Imlay 1939), this number has four duplicates and one at each of ABD [ ABDUH: 2 / 888], BK [257639], BM [ BM 000906285] and K [ K 001514899]. The morphological characters of the specimen at BM correspond with the protologue, especially in leaf and fruit size and the sheet also has Imlay ’ s handwriting as follows: “ Strobilanthes bombycina Imlay Type no. ”. Therefore, we select the sheet BM 000906285 as the lectotype.

Figures

Figure 4. Strobilanthes esquirolii H. Lév A stem and leaves B, C inflorescences D corolla, anthers and stigma.

Figure 10. Distribution maps of Strobilanthes with capitate inflorescence in Thailand A S. aprica (Hance) T. Anderson, S. articulata J. B. Imlay and S. brandisii T. Anderson B S. capitata (Nees) T. Anderson, S. chiangdaoensis Terao and S. consors C. B. Clarke C S. cruciata (Bremek.) Terao, S. dimorphotricha subsp. rex (C. B. Clarke) J. R. I. Wood and S. echinata Nees D S. erecta C. B. Clarke, S. esquirolii H. Lév. and S. falconeri T. Anderson.