Berberis chingshuiensis Shimizu (1963: 29)

Yu, Chih-Chieh & Chung, Kuo-Fang, 2014, Systematics of Berberis sect. Wallichianae (Berberidaceae) of Taiwan and Luzon with description of three new species, B. schaaliae, B. ravenii, and B. pengii, Phytotaxa 184 (2), pp. 61-99 : 78

3. Berberis chingshuiensis Shimizu (1963: 29) . Type:— TAIWAN. Pref. Hualien, the summit of Chingshuishan , ca. 2400 m alt., 1 May 1961, T. Shimizu 12520 (holotype KYO-00022300!, isotype TI-02621!) ( Fig. 9A–F ).

Small evergreen shrub usually 0.5–1 m tall. Mature stems brown or greyish, subterete, inconspicuously verruculose. Spines 3-fid, concolorous, 0.5–1.2 cm. Leaves subsessile; leaf blade elliptic, abaxially pale green sometimes pruinose, adaxially green; 2.4–5.7 × 1.1–1.7 cm, leathery; midvein abaxially raised and adaxially impressed, lateral veins slightly raised, the secondary veins pinnate, jointly looped and multi-festooned, the tertiary veins weakly reticulate if present; base cuneate, margins sometimes revolute and remotely spinose with spinules of 6–11 with 3–7 mm apart on each side, apex acute or obtuse. Inflorescence a fascicle, 3–6-flowered. Bracts absent. Pedicel red, 1.3–1.4 cm. Bracteoles 2 if present, yellow or sometimes with reddish-tinge, triangular, 1.5 × 1 mm. Flowers yellow. Sepals in 3 whorls, outer sepals yellow sometimes with reddish-tinged ovate 2.5 × 2 mm, middle sepals yellow elliptic 5.5 × 3.5 mm, inner sepals yellow obovate 7 × 6 mm. Petals elliptic, 5.5 × 4 mm, base clawed with a pair of ovoid nectaries close to each other, apex incised and acutely emarginated. Stamens pale yellow ca. 4 mm, anther connective of stamen distinct, apex truncate. Pistil 4 mm long. Ovules 3. Berries black, ellipsoid ca. 5.5 × 4 mm, not pruinose, estylose.

Distinguishing features: Most herbarium specimens identified as B. chingshuiensis in Taiwan are B. schaaliae (see below). Berberis chingshuiensis can be easily distinguished from B. schaaliae by its sparsely to remotely spinose leaves (vs. densely spinose leaf margins in B. schaaliae ; Fig. 9F vs. 9G) and differs from another similar species, B. tarokoensis , by its complex-veined leaves, estylose berries, and relative few number (3) of ovules [vs. simple-veined leaves, stylose berries, and more ovules (6 or 8) in B. tarokoensis ]. When growing on exposed windy slopes, some individuals of B. chingshuiensis develop leaves with more or less revolute margins, rendering them likely misidentified as B. nantoensis .

Phenology: — Flowering April–May; Fruiting May.

Distribution & habitat: — Berberis chingshuiensis is a rare species restricted to the exposed limestone outcrops of Taroko Gorge of eastern Central Mountain Range ( Fig. 6C ) from 1500 to 2400 m where it is co-distributed with B. tarokoensis ( Fig. 6E ).

Chinese name: Ǐ水山小ª

Proposed IUCN conservation status: —Critically Endangered [CR B1ac(iv)]. Berberis chingshuiensis is known only from type locality and a few peaks nearby where it is distributed as scattered individuals. The narrow distribution range and low number of mature individuals prompt us to list it at the provisional IUCN category of CR ( IUCN 2012), despite the area being protected within the range of Taroko National Park.

Notes: In the protologue, Shimizu (1963) notes the deposition of two isotypes in SHIN and TAI; however, no such materials are found in either SHIN (J. Harber, pers. comm.) or TAI.

Additional specimens examined: — TAIWAN. Hualien: Chingshuishan , 2400 m, 28 April 1989, Lu s.n. (HAST, TNM), 2300 m, 11 April 2009, Chung 9577 (TAIF); Chuilushan, 1500 m, 15 May 2009, Yu 483 (TAI) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distributions of Berberis sect. Wallichianae of Taiwan and Luzon. A. Major mountain ranges in Taiwan, with possible type localities of B. aristatoserrulata and B. brevisepala. NR: Nature Preserve. MWH: Major Wildlife Habitat. Mts: Mountain Range. B. Distributions of B. aristatoserrulata, B. hayatana, and B. pengii. C. Distributions of B. chingshuiensis, B. mingetsensis, and B. nantoensis. D. Distributions of B. kawakamii, B. ravenii, and B. schaaliae. E. Distributions of B. brevisepala and B. tarokoensis. F. Distribution of B. barandana in Luzon Island of the Philippines.

FIGURE 9. Berberis chingshuiensis T. Shimizu. A. Flowering branches. B. Branches with mature fruits. C. Fruiting branch, showing the complex-veined leaves and a fascicle of immature fruits. D. A portion of holotype, showing branches with adaxial surface of leaves. E. A portion of holotype, showing braches with abaxial surface of leaves. F. Leaf specimen of B. chingshuiensis, showing the sparsely toothed leaves. G. Leaf specimen of B. schaaliae C.C.Yu & K.F. Chung, showing the densely toothed leaves.A–C: Tatuanyaishan (the Great Cliff).