Hullettia dumosa King

Bui, Van Huong, Vu, Dinh Duy, Pham, Mai Huong, Do, Van Hai, Doan, Hoang Son, Bui, Van Thanh, Dam, Ngoc Anh Luu, Truong, Ba Vuong & Gardner, Elliot M., 2022, HULLETTIA King ex Hook. f. (Moraceae), A newly recorded genus to the Flora of Vietnam, with its lectotypification and a revised key to Vietnamese Moraceae, Phytotaxa 550 (3), pp. 272-278 : 275-276

Hullettia dumosa King ,

Fl. Brit. India 5(15): 547. 1888; King, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. (Calcutta) 5: 163. 1896; Ridl., Fl. Malay Penins. 3: 358. 1924; Jarrett, J. Arnold Arbor. 40: 9, f. 2g-k. 1959; 41: 337. 1960; Kochummen, Tree Fl. Malaya 3: 162, t. 8. 1978; C.C. Berg et al., Fl. Males., Ser. 1, Spermat. 17(1): 127. 2006; C. C. Berg et al., Fl. Thailand, Vol. 10(4): 651. 2011 ( Figs. 1 , 2 ).

Type: —PENINSULAR MALAYSIA, Perak, Scortechini sine num. (lectotype, designated here: K: K000898664 digital image!; isolectotypes: K000898665, digital image!; K000898667, digital image!; L0815283, digital image!) ( Fig.1 )

Small trees, height to 10 m. Leafy twigs 3‒5 mm thick, acutely rugose, hairs pale yellow, densely pubescent. Stipules linear 1‒1.2 cm long, densely reddish-brown pubescent, subpersistent. Leaves spirally arranged; lamina subobovate to oblong, 38‒39 x 10.5‒11 cm, coriaceous, apex acuminate, base rounded to cuneate, margin entire; glabrous on both surface; midrib prominent above, lateral veins 13‒16 pairs, tertiary venation reticulate; Petiole 7‒8 cm long, pale white pubescent. Staminate inflorescences axillary, solitary or paired; peduncle 1‒2 cm long, short pubescent; receptacle discoid, ca. 1 cm diam., pubescent outside, involucral bracts marginal, ovate, 3‒4 mm long, puberulent; perianth ca. 1.5 mm long puberulent; stamens c. 3mm long, filaments connate, anthers ca. 1 mm long; interfloral bracts ovate to linear, puberulent; Pistillate inflorescences axillary, solitary or paired; peduncle 4.5‒5 cm long, puberulent; receptacle discoid, ca. 1.6‒1.8 cm diam., white pubescent outside; involucral bracts ovate, 2‒3 mm long, puberulent; flowers ca. 8; perianth 1‒1.5 mm long, apex densely minutely pubescent; stigmas clavate, 0.5‒1 mm long. Infructescences subglobose to discoid, 4.5‒5 cm diam., densely pubescent, with 2‒3 fruits, ellipsoid, 2.4 x 1.6 cm; peduncle 5‒5.5 x ca. 1.5 cm, short pubescent.

Phenology in Vietnam: —Fruiting in May

Habitat in Vietnam: —Lowland [primary and] secondary evergreen forests up to 400 m a.s.l

Distribution:— VIETNAM (Phu Yen province), Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia.

Remaining syntypes examined: —PENISULAR MALAYSIA, Perak, March 1883, Dr. King’s Collector 3959 (CAL: CAL0000014715, digital image!; K: K000898666, digital image!; P: P06861941, digital images!).

Specimens examined: — VIETNAM, Phu Yen Prov.: Song Hinh Distr., Song Hinh Protection forest, 16 May 2020, Vu Dinh Duy, Bui Van Huong, Doan Hoang Son, D48 (VNMN!, HN!). PENISULAR MALAYSIA, Perak, Larut, September 1981, Dr King’s Collector 2405 (CAL0000014704, CAL0000014705, CAL0000014714, digital images!); Larut, September 1881, H. Kunstler 2405 (CAL0000014713, digital image!), Larut, March 1882, H. Kunstler 2488 (CAL0000014712, digital image!); Perak, May 1884, B Scortechini 656 (CAL0000014716, K000898668, digital images!); Perak, Revd. Father Scortechini 656 (CAL0000014717, CAL0000014718, K000898666, digital images!); Ulu Bubong, July 1886, Dr. King’s Collector 10427 (CAL0000014706, CAL0000014707, digital images!; K000898662!, K000898663!); Goping, November 1880, H. Kunstler 1052 (CAL0000014708 digital images!), Dr. King’s Collector 1052 (CAL0000014709, CAL0000014710, digital images!)

Taxonomic notes: ‒ Hullettia may be readily distinguished from other Moraceae in Vietnam even when sterile. While Ficus (in part) and Artocarpus subg. Artocarpus may have a spiral leaf arrangement superficially resembling that of Hullettia , the latter may be readily distinguished based on the lateral (non-amplexicaul) linear stipules. Flowering or fruiting material can be further distinguished by the marginal, non-overlapping involucral bracts a feature unique to Hullettia .

Nomenclatural notes: —The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants ( Turland et al. 2018) suggests that each name must be typified by a single specimen; when multiple syntypes are extant, the lectotype must be selected from these. Hullettia dumosa was described by King (1888, 1896) on the basis of two gatherings, Scortechini, s.n. and King’s Collector [probably H.H. Kunstler] 3959, from Perak in Peninsular Malaysia.

Following an intensive search in various national and international herbaria we located seven specimens in four herbaria belonging to these gatherings: Scortechini s.n., (K: K000898664, K000898665, K000898667, L: L0815283); and King’s Collector 3959 (CAL: CAL0000014715, K: K000898666, P: P06861941).

Among the syntypes, the specimen Scortechini s.n. at K (K000898664) ( Fig. 1 ) provides the best diagnostic characters, with well-preserved leaves and fruits showing the involucral bracts, the latter of which are not as apparent on the other specimens. Therefore, we designate this specimen as the lectotype in accordance with Arts. 9.3, 9.12 & 9.13 of ICN ( Turland et al. 2018). The three additional duplicates (K000898665, K000898667, L0815283) become isolectotypes.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lectotype of Hullettia dumosa King (Scortechini sine num., K: K000898664) (http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000898664; © Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)

FIGURE 2. Hullettia dumosa King. A. Leaf shoot with infructescences; B. Adaxial leaf surface; C. Abaxial leaf surface; D. Midrib leaf underside; E. Shoot with sipules; F. Stipules; G‒J. Infructescences; K‒M. Fruit. Photos by Van Huong Bui.