Didymocarpus heucherifolius var. yinzhengii J.M. Li & S. J. Li, 2014

Li, Jia-Mei & Li, Shi-Jin, 2014, Didymocarpus heucherifolius var. yinzhengii (Gesneriaceae), a new taxon from Hunan, China, Phytotaxa 156 (3), pp. 187-190 : 187-189

Didymocarpus heucherifolius var. yinzhengii J.M. Li & S. J. Li , var. nov. ( Fig.1 A–E & Fig.2 A–C )

Affinis D. heucherifolio, a quo floribus majusculis (ad 4 lin. longis), corollis extus glabris, intus basin pilosis, staminodiis absentibus.

Type: ― CHINA. Hunan: near Yongxing county . alt. 300m, 26°17' 10''N, 113°11'25''E, 6 May 2011, Jia-Mei Li 1105062 (holotype HEAC!); ibid. Jia-Mei Li 11501 (paratype IBK!) .

Perennial herbs acaulescent; Rhizome horizontal, up to 1.5cm thick, 3–4cm long, roots fibrous; Leaves papery, clustered at the apex of the rhizome, apparently whorled, orbicular, up to 5.5× 7.2 cm, base cordate, apex rounded, margin irregularly triangular denticulate, lateral veins 3–4 on each side of midrib, palmate, the upper surface with dense eglandular short hairs and sparsely long hairs, lower surface with sparse short hairs and sparse long hairs confined to the veins; petiole 2–8 cm, with long fuscous hairs; Cymes scapiform, up to 4 on a stem, each 4-many flowered; peduncle up to 15 cm, spreading villous; Bracts free, elliptic, 9–15 mm, serrate, long ciliate; Pedicel up to 2.5 cm, with densely eglandular hairs; Calyx divided to the base, ca. 10–12 mm, 5-lobed, lobes unequal, oblong-oblanceolate-linear, 10–12 mm × 1.8–2.2 mm, 1–3 sparse denticulate teeth on each side, puberulent outside, glabrous inside; Corolla pink, up to 4 cm, glabrous outside, puberulent inside at the base, tube funnelform-tubular, up to 3 cm long; Filaments 10–12 mm, glandular; anthers up to 3 mm, puberulent; Staminodes absent; Pistil up to 3 cm, pilose to puberulent; stigma capitate, ovary ca. 1.6 cm, puberulent; Capsule up to 9 cm.

Ecology, Phenology and Etymology:— The new variety has so far been found only on a slope of Danxia region near Yongxing county. Population size of the new species requires assessment, but at least 500 plants were seen by us at the type location. It flowers in April to May a little earlier than D. heucherifolius var. heucherifolius . The specific epithet of this new species is named to honor Dr. Yinzheng Wang, fellow of State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in recognition of his contribution to our knowledge of the family Gesneriaceae , particularly in Tribe Didymocarpeae Endl. (1839:716) . His research interests include the evolution of floral symmetry in Gesneriaceae and phylogenetics of Tribe Didymocarpeae .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Didymocarpus heucherifolius var. yinzhengii J.M. Li & S. J. Li var. nov. (from the paratype, drawn by W. H. Lin).—A, flowering plant;—B, anther;—C, calyx and pistil;—D, detail of stigma;—E, dissected corolla and stamens

FIGURE 2. Didymocarpus heucherifolius var. yinzhengii J.M. Li & S. J. Li var. nov.—A, Habitat;—B, Flowers;—C, Leaf; Didymocarpus heucherifolius—D, Habitat;—E, Flowers;—F, Leaf.