Fordiophyton chenii S. Jin Zeng & X. Y. Zhuang, 2016

Zeng, Si-Jin, Zou, Long-Hai, Wang, Pan, Hong, Wen-Jun, Zhang, Guo-Qiang, Chen, Li-Jun & Zhuang, Xue-Ying, 2016, Preliminary phylogeny of Fordiophyton (Melastomataceae), with the description of two new species, Phytotaxa 247 (1), pp. 45-61 : 54-57

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.247.1.3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13678768

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B1CD73-FFB3-EF06-FD80-F95D81D3D4F0

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Fordiophyton chenii S. Jin Zeng & X. Y. Zhuang
status

sp. nov.

Fordiophyton chenii S. Jin Zeng & X. Y. Zhuang View in CoL , sp. nov. (ṪKṖÜË), ( Figs. 7 View FIGURE 7 , 8 View FIGURE 8 )

Type: CHINA. Guangdong ( ḞAE): Jiangmen (ĭ‼), Enping ( ỄṬ), on damp slopes of ravines in broad-leaved forests, 344 m, 28 Feb. 2013, S. Jin Zeng et al. Q006 (Holotype IBSC; Isotypes B, CANT, HK, K, MO) .

Diagnosis: The new species Fordiophyton chenii resembles F. cordifolium but differs in its very short stems, rosette leaves, hypanthia with densely glandular trichomes and shorter stamens with yellow anthers.

A perennial herb, succulent, with raphides both in vegetative and floral parts ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 , A – C). Stem stoloniferous, 1.6–3 cm, internodes not distinct. Leaves in a basal or sub-basal rosette; petiole 8–18 cm long, 4-sided, narrow-winged, sparsely glandular trichomes when young, glabrescent later; leaf blade ovate or ovate-elliptic, 9–13 × 9–12 cm, base cordate, apex acute, margin entire, membranaceous or slightly fleshy, glabrous; secondary veins 4 on each side of midvein, conspicuous; tertiary veins numerous, parallel, and connecting secondary veins; glabrous on both surfaces; abaxial veins typically purple. Inflorescences terminal, umbellate panicles, each branch 5–12-flowered, subsessile; peduncle 8–24.5 cm, hirsute on nodes, but glabrescent later; bracts oblong, with dense glandular trichomes, caducous. Hypanthia funnel-shaped, 10–12 mm, with dense glandular trichomes; calyx lobes ovate-triangle, 5 × 4–5 mm with dense glandular trichomes. Petals pink or purplish, oblong, ca. 10 × 8 mm, apex pinkish and with 1 glandular trichome at tip. Stamens 8, 4 long and 4 short arranged in 2 whorls. Longer stamens ca. 22 mm; anthers oblong-linear, ca. 12 mm, bases with an obtuse fork, connective bases inflated and shorter than that of anther ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 , A). Shorter stamens ca. 9 mm; anthers oblong, ca. 4 mm, yellow, base obtuse fork, connective base slightly inflated ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 , B). Ovary half-inferior, ovate, apex truncate and with a membranous crown; placentas shortly stalked ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 , B). Capsule funnel-shaped, apex truncate, ca. 12–15 mm long, 5–7 mm in diameter. Seeds many, light brown, ca. 1 mm long. Flowering in January–February, fruiting in February–March.

Distribution and habitat: Fordiophyton chenii grows in damp locations in ravines with broad-leaved forests between 327 m and 390 m in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province, China.

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the Chinese botanist and Professor Cheih Chen, who made great contributions to the taxonomy of Chinese melastomes.

Conservation status: Based on its narrow geographic range and small and isolated populations with few individuals, Fordiophyton chenii should be considered endangered (EN) according to the IUCN red list criteria ( IUCN 2015).

ỄṬ

East Texas State University

S

Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History

IBSC

South China Botanical Garden

B

Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Zentraleinrichtung der Freien Universitaet

CANT

South China Agricultural University

K

Royal Botanic Gardens

MO

Missouri Botanical Garden

A

Harvard University - Arnold Arboretum

C

University of Copenhagen

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