Amomum fangdingii X.E.Ye, Škorničk. & N.H.Xia, 2021

Ye, Xing-Er, Leong-Škorničková, Jana, Bai, Lin & Xia, Nian-He, 2021, Taxonomic studies on Amomum (Zingiberaceae) in China III: Amomum fangdingii, a new species from Guangxi, Phytotaxa 490 (3), pp. 263-270 : 264-269

Amomum fangdingii X.E.Ye, Škorničk. & N.H.Xia sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–3 )

Similar to Amomum velutinum in general habit, each fertile bract subtending a cincinnus of flowers, similarly coloured flowers, and winged fruits, but differs by leafy shoots up to 3 m tall consisting of 4–6 leaves (vs. shoots to 1 m tall composed of 2–4 leaves), membranous and crisped bladeless leaf sheath margins (vs. papery or coriaceous and straight but never crisped), longer ligule 3–7 cm long (vs. 1.5–3.2 cm long) and longer pedicel 13–25 mm long (vs. 7–12 mm), pubescent calyx, floral tube and corolla lobes (vs. all glabrous), and sparsely pilose style (vs. glabrous). A detailed comparison of A. fangdingii and A. velutinum is provided in Table 1.

Type: — CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Nanning City , Long’an County, Gutan Township , Mt. Fenghuang , 22°56’35.67”N, 107°44’40.44”E, ca. 435 m a.s.l., 1 May 2019, X.E. Ye 127 (holotype: IBSC!, isotypes: GXMI!, SING!) .

Herb 0.5–2.1 (up to 3) m tall, clump-forming, with 10–12 pseudostems per clump; stilt roots usually absent, but sometimes present on young shoots. Leafy shoot composed of 4–6 leaves per pseudostem, slightly swollen and green, cream or shining red basally, green distally; bladeless sheaths 3–4 (to 6 in young shoots), 3–25 cm long, longitudinally striate, green and membranous when young, becoming dry, papery and fragile with age, sordidly puberulent and white puberulent externally, glabrous internally, margins strongly crisped; leaf-bearing sheaths longitudinally striate, green and coriaceous, sordidly puberulent and white puberulent externally, glabrous internally, margins straight, papery and fragile; ligule narrowly elliptic to ovate, bifid, 3–7 cm long, apex acute, light brown, coriaceous, externally white pubescent and sordidly pubescent; petiole canaliculate, 14–47 cm long, green, striate, pubescent; lamina oblong to elliptic, 24–82 × 15–20 cm, prominently plicate, dark green and glabrous above, pale green and pubescent below, attenuate at base and often oblique, shortly caudate at apex (cauda to 2 cm long), margins entire. Inflorescence radical, usually 1–2 inflorescences per shoot; peduncle 10–18 cm long, ca. 1.2 cm in diameter, green, puberulent, covered by sheathing scales; scales at base triangular-ovate (ca. 1 × 1.5 cm), gradually broadly ovate distally (to 4–5 × 2–3 cm), purplish red or pale green when very young (budding inflorescence), soon turning brown, papery, weakly striate (more prominent when dry), glabrous internally, puberulous externally, apex emarginate or entire with a small mucro, margins dry membranous, crisped; flowering part loosely ovoid, 6–9 cm long, 4–8 cm in diameter, with 1–2 flowers simultaneously open; fertile bracts ovate, boat-shaped, 2.0–2.5 × 1.5–2.0 cm, whitish to reddish when young (inflorescence in early budding stage), soon turning light-brown (at anthesis), papery dry, striate (when dry), puberulous, acute at apex, subtending a pedicellate cincinnus of 2–3 flowers, pedicel ca. 1.5–2.3 cm long; bracteole ovate, 1.2–2.2 × 1.0– 1.5 cm, whitish to reddish, membranous, very soon turning light-brown, papery dry, striate (when dry), puberulous, acute or bilobed at apex. Flower 4.2–5.5 cm long including pedicel, pedicel 1.3–2.5 cm long, pale green, puberulent; calyx tubular, ca. 1.8 cm long, cream white or pink, pubescent externally, glabrous internally, 2- or 3-toothed at apex, teeth 3–8 mm long; floral tube ca. 1.6 cm long, white, externally pubescent, internally glabrous at base and gradually pubescent distally; dorsal corolla lobe elliptic, ca. 15 × 8 mm, white with semi-translucent veins, sometimes tinged with pink towards apex, pubescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially, apex cucullate, slightly to strongly mucronate; lateral corolla lobes elliptic, ca. 15 × 6 mm, with concave apex, colour and indumentum as dorsal lobe; labellum subobovate, trilobed at apex, 2–2.2 × 1.8–2.2 cm, white with central yellow stripe with sparse obscure minute pink to red dots at the sides, and with translucent veins radiating towards margins, glabrous on both sides except pilose patch at base on the side facing inwards; lateral staminodes minute, less than 1 mm long, white tinged with red or pink, rounded at apex, covered with glandular hairs. Stamen white, ca. 1.3 cm long; filament flat, ca. 4 × 2 mm, with glandular hairs; anther oblong, ca. 9 mm long (including straightened crest), ca. 3 mm wide (thecae part), connective tissue white, with glandular hairs at sides, glabrous dorsally, anther thecae ca. 7 mm long, dehiscing throughout entire length; anther crest broadly fan-shaped, entire or slightly undulate, ca. 2 mm long, ca. 6 mm wide, membranous, white, glabrous. Epigynous glands two, oblong, ca. 4 mm long, glabrous, cream, blunt or broadly acute at apex; ovary cylindrical, ca. 5 mm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter, obscurely 9-ridged, cream-greenish sometimes tinged with red towards apex, puberulent; style filiform, 2.4–2.7 cm long, white, sparsely pilose; stigma capitate, slightly dorsoventrally compressed, glabrous, ostiole ciliate, facing upwards. Infructescence structure as inflorescence, sometimes slightly longer. Fruit a hesperidium, globose to ellipsoid, 11–19 × 8–19 mm, green when young, becoming light red to dark maroon red when ripe, 9-winged, with straight wings, with persistent calyx at apex; seeds irregular, several in each locule, brown to dark brown, each fully enclosed in semi-translucent white aril.

Etymology: —This species is named after FANG Ding (1926–2017), a ginger specialist formerly working at the Guangxi Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science, who made remarkable contributions to the ethnobotanical and taxonomic studies of gingers in Guangxi (e.g., Flora of Guangxi). His numerous collections with elaborate labels continue to facilitate ginger research in China.

Phenology: —Flowering in May–June and fruiting in July–September.

Distribution: —This species is currently only recorded in China (Guangxi). As some localities of its distribution are near the border of China and Vietnam, we speculate that it may also occur in Vietnam.

Habitat and Ecology: — Amomum fangdingii can be found in a variety of habitats including lowland broadleaved evergreen forest, near streams and humid valleys, as well as in dryer conditions including secondary forests. It occurs at elevations of 350–750 m a.s.l.

Conservation status: — Amomum fangdingii has a large estimated Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (around 65,642 km 2) and the Area of Occurrence (AOO) is 44 km 2 (assessed by GeoCAT: Bachman et al. 2011). It is known from 12 localities according to the herbarium specimens seen, one of which is legally protected (Mt. Dayao Nature Reserve). We therefore propose to treat this species as ‘Least Concern’ (LC), following the guidance of the IUCN Standard and Petitions Subcommittee (2019).

Vernacular names and uses: —We propose a new Chinese name, “方鼎º蔻 (romanised fang ding dou kou)”, for this new species. The species is also called “灯※果 (deng long guo)”, “fiọṯ (jia sha ren)”, “红蔻 (hong kou)”, “邓 嘎 (Don ga)” by local Zhuang ethnic minority (Guangxi, China), who uses this species in many ways. According to the information provided on the labels (D.H. Qin & M.X. Lai 17933, X.Q. Deng 73109, X.Q. Deng & Y. Wang 17693 and D. Fang 35973; all deposited at GXMI) the sour fruits are eaten and also used as a medicine for curing gastrointestinal problems, e.g. spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome, diarrhoea and vomiting. Leaves are also harvested to wrap Zongzi (rice dumplings) according to information from D. Fang 35973 (GXMI).

Notes: —Even though Amomum fangdingii can be readily distinguished from A. velutinum by the distinctly crisped bladeless leaf sheath margins, indumentum of flower parts, length of ligule and pedicel, they still have a number of important features in common (as mentioned in the diagnosis), indicating a close relationship.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — CHINA. Guangxi: Baise City, Napo County, Pingmeng Township , Nading Village , 750 M a.s.l., 13 April 1998, H.N. Qin et al. 573 ( IBSC0721065 ) ; Baise City, Youjiang District, Daleng Township , 700 m a.s.l., 27 May 1974, D. Fang 36914 ( GXMI044994 ) ; ibid., 20 September 1975, X.P. Liao & D. Fang 36966 ( GXMI044986 ) ; Chongzuo City, Fusui County, Zhongdong Town , Mt. Daming , 350–400 m a.s.l., 9 May 1957, S.H.Chun 12410 ( IBK00137357 , IBSC0022012 , KUN0334839, PE00074505) ; Fangchenggang City, Dongxing County, Naliang Town , Tansan Village , Mt. Caiwen , 500 m a.s.l., 18 August 1975, X.P. Liao & D. Fang 76611 ( GXMI044983 ) ; ibid., 500 m a.s.l. 18 August 1975, X.P. Liao & D. Fang 76612 ( GXMI044985 ) ; Fangchenggang City, Dongxing County, Naliang Town , Naying Village , 8 August 1937, H.Y. Liang 70079 ( IBSC00220051 , IBK00137356 , PE00074508) ; Fangchenggang City, Dongxing County, Naliang Town , Tansan Village , Mt. Kung Ping , 10–18 September 1986, W.T. Tsang 26820 ( IBSC0022004 ) ; Laibing City, Jinxiu County, Luoxiang Township , Luoxiang Village , Mt. Luoxiang , 390 m a.s.l., 31 March 1982, Dayaoshan expedition 13784 ( IBK00194960 ) ; ibid., 5 June 1978, X.C. Huang 7661 ( GXMG) ; ibid., 350 m a.s.l., 10 June 2020, J.B. Ni & J. Chen 061008 ( IBSC) ; ibid., 360 m a.s.l., 21 July 2020, X.E. Ye yxe-160 ( IBSC) ; Laibing City, Jinxiu County, Mt. Dayao Nature Reserve , 26 May 1928, S.S. Sin 128 ( IBSC0022011 ) ; Nanning City, Long’an County, Gutan Township , Mt. Fenghuang , 18 September 1969, South medicine group 16 (PE00074507, PE00074508, PE00074509) ; ibid., 27 May 1967, X.Q. Deng 73109 ( GXMI044989 ) ; Nanning City, Xixiangtan District, Fushu Township , Fushu Village , 10 May 1967, D. Fang 17715 ( GXMI044982 , GXMI044988 , PE00033185) ; ibid., 10 May 1967, D. Fang 17716 ( GXMI044984 ) ; ibid., 10 May 1967, D. Fang 17714 ( GXMI044991 ) ; ibid., 14 August 1985, D.H. Qin & M.X. Lai 17924 ( GXMI044992 ) ; ibid., 14 August 1985, D.H. Qin & M.X. Lai 17933 ( GXMI044993 ) ; ibid., 9 July 1963, X.Q. Deng & Y. Wang 17693 ( GXMI044987 ) ; Pingxiang City, Pingxiang Town, Liuban Village , 18 May 1967, D. Fang 35973 ( GXMI044990 ) .

Key to Amomum fangdingii and allied species

1. Lamina pubescent or silvery sericeous below....................................................................................................................................2

- Lamina glabrous below ......................................................................................................................................................................5

2. Lamina pubescent below ....................................................................................................................................................................3

- Lamina silvery sericeous below ................................................................................................................................. A. subcapitatum

3. Labellum yellow; infructescence 30–40 cm long.......................................................................................................... A. mengtzense

- Labellum white with a yellow centre and sometimes tinged with red; infructescence less than 30 cm long ....................................4

4. Bladeless leaf sheaths striate with straight margins; ligule 1.5–3.2 cm long; pedicel 0.7–1.2 cm long; calyx, floral tube, corolla lobes and style glabrous................................................................................................................................................... A. velutinum

- Bladeless leaf sheaths striate with crisped margins; ligule 3–7 cm long; pedicel 1.3–2.5 cm long; calyx, floral tube, corolla lobes and style pubescent.......................................................................................................................................................... A. fangdingii

5. Leaf sheaths reticulate ..................................................................................................................................................... A. repoeense

- Leaf sheaths finely striate...................................................................................................................................................................6

6. Stilt roots absent; peduncle less than 6 cm long.................................................................................................................................7

- Stilt roots present, peduncle more than 11 cm long ...........................................................................................................................8

7. Labellum yellow tinged with red at its base; fruit wings straight .................................................................................... A. chryseum

- Labellum white with a yellow centre and tinged with red; fruit wings undulate.............................................................. A. plicatum

8. Flowering part more than 14 cm long; bracts narrowly oblong, 2.5–3.0 × 1.0– 1.2 cm; labellum clawed and with a rounded apex .. ......................................................................................................................................................................................... A. chevalieri

- Flowering part less than 9 cm long; bracts ovate-deltoid, ca. 5.0 × 3.5 cm; labellum not clawed and with a shallowly trilobed apex................................................................................................................................................................................. A. putrescens

Figures

FIGURE 1. Amomum fangdingii (A) Habit, (B) Leaves, (C) Ligule, (D) Rhizome with inflorescences, (E) Bladeless leaf sheaths with crisped margins, (F) Flower (front view), (G) Flower (side view), (H) A single inflorescence and dissection of a cincinnus (from left to right): cincinnus, bract, single flower, single flower bud, bracteole, (I) Infructescence. Photos (A)–(H) by Ye Xing-Er; based on X.E. Ye 127. Photo (I) by Chen Juan; based on J.B. Ni & J. Chen 061008.

FIGURE 2. Amomum fangdingii (A) Habit, (B) Bladeless leaf sheaths with crisped margins, (C) Infructescence, (D) Dissection of a flower (from left to right): calyx (split open), corolla lobes, ovary with epigynous glands, style and pedicel, labellum, floral tube with stamen and two minute lateral staminodes (front view, side view & back view). Photos by Ye Xing-Er; (A)–(C) based on X.E. Ye 160, (D) based on X.E. Ye 12.

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Amomum fangdingii (red dots with a black outline) with its type locality (blue triangle with a black outline). Inset upper left: map of China with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region shaded.