Ficus muricata Zhen Zhang & Hong-Qing Li, 2023

Zhang, Zhen, Chen, Yi-Jia, Mei, Li, Zou, Lu, Zhang, Mei-Jiao, Li, Hong-Qing & Zhang, De-Shun, 2023, Phylogeny of the Ficus sarmentosa complex (Moraceae) uncovered an omitted species and the rank elevation of F. pubigera var. maliformis, Phytotaxa 579 (1), pp. 17-31 : 22-27

Ficus muricata Zhen Zhang & Hong-Qing Li sp. nov. ( Figures 2–4 )

Type: — CHINA. Yunnan: Puer, Jingdong , Qingren Valley . 20 July 2015, Zhen Zhang, Xiao-Mei Wang et Hai-Yan Gao JDH-6 (holotype HSNU00075747 !, Fig. 2 ); isotype JDH-7 (HSNU00075746!).

Diagnosis:— The new species is distinguishable from the other member in the F. sarmentosa complex according to its glabrous bathphylls, rather big long-elliptical acrophylls with apex round, and tuberculate and muricate figs and the abaxial surface of lamina.

Description: —Root-climber. Branchlets glabrous, celadon to brown, with some conspicuous lenticels around the nodes, 1–2 mm in diameter when juvenile, ca. 2–4 mm when mature. Stipules 2, 4–12 mm, triangular-lanceolate to long-lanceolate, reddish brown, fairy, caducous; bathphylls distichous but often reverse to all the laminas downward, petiole 0.5–2.5 cm long, greenish to brown, glabrous, lamina long-elliptical, 3–5 × 6–14.5 cm, thinly leathery, base narrowly cordiform, apex acuminate to short caudate, margin entire, veins 8–10 pairs, abaxially slightly raised and adaxially descending, basal vein short and up to 1/4 of lamina length; acrophylls distichous, petiole 0.5–2(–2.5) cm, brown, glabrous, lamina long-elliptical to oblong, 4–9 × (10–) 13–26 cm, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, base rounded, apex obtuse, margin entire, veins 8–11 pairs, adaxially somewhat descending, abaxially slightly reticulate and sparely tuberculate, basal vein up to 1/3 of lamina length. Figs gynodioecious, axillary, solitary, peduncle 1.5 mm to sessile, basal bracts 3, ca. 2.5 mm, often deciduous, triangular, glabrous; receptacle globose to depressed globose, 1.5–2 cm in diameter, dark greenish or yellowish green, covered by bristle when juvenile and glabrescent when mature, sparely tuberculate; ostiole ca. 2–3 mm in diameter; internal hairs abundant, short, lissome, pellucid, ca. 1 mm in length. Staminate flowers numerous, scattered near the ostiole, pedicel 4 mm to sessile; calyx 4, light green to light pink, translucent, glabrous, ovate, lanceolate to linear, 2–2.5 mm in length, ca. 1 mm in width; stamens 2, lanceolate to oblong, about equal to tepals in length or slightly longer, filament absent. Gall flower numerous, pedicel sessile to the most 5 mm; calyx 4–5, pink, translucent, linear or spatulate, 2.5–3 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, glabrous; ovary subsessile, obovoid, constricted at the base, 2–2.5 mm at height; style lateral, short, about 0.2 mm; stigmas mucronate. Pistillate flowers many, sessile to the most 5 mm, calyx 4–5(–6), spatulate, 2–3 mm in length and ca. 0.6 mm in width, glabrous; ovary obovoid, ca. 2 mm in height and ca. 2.5 mm at height; style lateral, shorter than the height of the ovary, 1–1.5 mm in height; stigmas threadlike.

Distribution and Habitat: — CHINA. Yunnan Province:Xishuanbannan; Honghe; Lincang; Puer (type locality).— LAOS. Louang Namtha Province: Namtha District, Nalan Village. The new species lies on the ground or trunk under tropical evergreen broad-leaf forests at altitudes of 500–1500 m.

Etymology: —The specific epithet is used to describe its key trait, muricate and tuberculate large fig. Its Chinese name “ Dzvffi ” should be spelled as “Liu Guo Rong”

Additional specimens examined: — CHINA. Yunnan: Xishuanbanna, Menghai, 30 March 1957, Sino Soviet joint Yunnan elegation 5765 (KUN0512889!); Yunnan: Xishuanbanna, Mengzhe, 2 March 1952, Sino Soviet joint Yunnan elegation 5453 (KUN0512883!, KUN0512884!); Yunnan: Xishuanbanna, Mengla, Manhua, Sheng Ji Pei 59- 10817 (KUN0512858!, NAS00292427[image]); Yunnan: Xishuanbanna, Mengyang, YeXiang Valley, Zhen Zhang, Xiao-Mei Wang & Hai-Yan Gao 20150901a (HSNU!); Yunnan, Honghe, Lvchun, Dingsong River, Lu Men Zhou 47 (KUN0781411!); Yunnan, Honghe, Lvchun, Qimaba, Hong-Qing Li & Zhen Zhang 2013170 (HSNU!); Yunnan, Puer, Menglian, Longshan, 28 December 2009, Hong-Qing Li 2009435 (HSUN00058028!); Yunnan, Lincang, Cangyuan, 2 June 1974, Yan Hui Li 011885 (KUN0512861!).— LAOS. Louang Namtha Province: Namtha District, Nalan Village, 10 November 2022, Dong-Li Quan, Bin Yang, Li Wang, Lothkham, Seng, Gam In L1287 (HITBC!).

Note: —Some specimens of the newly described species already existed in KUN and NAS collected from 1936 to 2000. However, these specimens were usually mistakenly identified as F. pubigera or F. pubigera var. maliformis , or even F. foveolata (Wall. ex Miq. 1848:77) Miquel (1867: 294) earlier. Morphologically, F. muricata is obviously different from all varieties of F. pubigera in the aspects of long-elliptical acrophylls with apex round as well as big, muricate, and subglabrous figs.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Holotype of Ficus muricata Zhen Zhang & Hong-Qing Li.

FIGURE 3. Illustration of Ficus muricata Zhen Zhang & Hong-Qing Li. A, Vegetative branches. B, Reproduction branches. C, Adaxial surface of bathphylls. D, Abaxial surface of bathphylls. E, Adaxial surface of acrophylls. F, Abaxial surface of acrophylls. G, Final structure of lamina beneath. H, Fruit branch. I, Dorsal view of fruit branch. J, Syconia. K, Profile of staminate inflorescence. L, Profile of pistillate inflorescence. M, Staminate flowers. N, Gall flowers. O, Pistillate flowers.

FIGURE 4. Line drawing of Ficus muricata Zhen Zhang & Hong-Qing Li. A, Reproduction branch. B, Lower surface of leaves. C, Vegetative leaf. D, Syconium. E, Ostiole Bracts. F, Profile of staminate inflorescence. G, Staminate flowers. H, Gall flowers. I, Pistillate flowers.