Rohdea brachyanthera W.B. Liao, Y.N. Gong & H.Z. Feng, 2023

Feng, Hui Zhe, Tong, Yi, Wu, Lei, Gong, Yue Ning & Liao, Wen Bo, 2023, Rohdea brachyanthera (Asparagaceae), a new species from Guangdong, southern China, Phytotaxa 626 (1), pp. 60-66 : 61-65

Rohdea brachyanthera W.B. Liao, Y.N. Gong & H.Z. Feng , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Type: — CHINA. Guangdong province, Shaoguan city, Ruyuan Yao Autonomous county, Luoyang town , Nanling National Nature Reserve , Tianjinshan (*ƦƜ), in the litter horizon of primary evergreen broad-leaved forest, along stream, 700–800 m a.s.l., 4 March 2023, Feng 396 (holotype: SYS!); same place, 12 April 2013, L . Wu & Y . Tong 3185 (paratype: BNU0033156 !) . Hunan province, Chenzhou city, Yizhang county, Mangshan National Nature Reserve , Huangpenyan ( Ñ ẳå), 30 April 2020, W. J . Liu & X. F . Song ms813 (paratype: CSFI075449 !) .

Diagnosis:— It is most similar to R. fargesii var. tsinlingensis in the perianth tube bearing an appendage at the apex and the stamens attached to it, but differs mainly in the smooth inner surface of the perianth and stamens, the presence of six rib-like protrusions on the internal surface of the perianth tube, a ring-shaped, succulent appendage that is outwardly swollen and smooth on the surface, and dilated triangular filaments that are united with the appendages at the base.

Description: —Terrestrial herb. Rhizome cylindrical, to 2–3 cm in diameter. Roots fibrous, to 5 mm in diameter. Stem (aerial part) short, ca. 2 cm long. Cataphylls 2–3, lanceolate, slightly wider at base, often laterally involute, acute, 3–4 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide midway, thinner and withering earlier than foliage leaves. Leaves equitant, narrowly elliptic, narrowly oblanceolate or lorate, subcoriaceous, 12–30 cm long, 1.2–7 cm broad. Peduncle ca. 3.5 cm long. Spike cylindrical, densely many-flowered, ca. 6 cm long, no sterile bracts at apex. Bracts 1 or 2 per flower; outer bract 1, located below flower, lanceolate or subulate, entire, sometimes dentate or minutely denticulate, herbaceous or membranous, ca. 6 mm long, ca. 2.5 mm broad in the base; inner bract smaller (bracteole), 1 or absent. Perianth saucer-shaped, green; lobes equilateral triangle, apex rounded or subtruncate, upper part reflexed, margin dentate, basally imbricate, surface smooth, ca. 5 mm long, ca. 5.5 mm broad; tube ca. 4 mm long, the inner surface with six rib-like protrusions and smooth, bearing a ring-shaped appendage 0.3–0.5 mm high at apex, margin dentate and surface smooth. Anthers ovate or elliptic, ca. 1.5 mm long; filaments incurved, ca. 0.1 mm long, decurrent parts on tube usually dilated and united with the ring-shaped appendage. Pistil ca. 4.5 mm long; stigma trisected, lobes recurved; style distinct 0.5–1.5 mm long; ovary globose, slightly depressed globose or ovoid, 2–2.5 mm long.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the short stamens. The Chinese name is given as "ṽÊBUffi"; Nánlǐng Kāi Kǒu Jiàn (Chinese Pin-Yin transliteration).

Vernacular name: —Niúwěi Qī (Chinese Pin-Yin transliteration), ‡Ḇŀ(Chinese name); Bāogǔ Qī (Chinese Pin-Yin transliteration), Ễëŀ(Chinese name).

Phenology: —Flowering from March through late April.

Distribution and habitat: —The new species is occasionally found in Tianjingshan, Nanling National Nature Reserve, Northern Guangdong. And it is also found in Mangshan National Nature Reserve, the northern slope of the Nanling Mountains, Yizhang, Chenzhou, Southern Hunan. It grows along moist ditches in Castanopsis eyrei forests on hillsides at an altitude of 700–800 meters. On the forest floor it coexists with species such as Psychotria asiatica , Blastus cochichinensis , Ardisia quinquegona , A. crenata , Maesa salicifolia , Lophatherum gracile , Hemigramma decurrens , Cibotium barometz , Lindsaea orbiculata .

Taxonomic relationships: —In Rohdea , many species have an appendage at apex of perianth tube. These species can be divided into three forms, based on the difference in the position of the stamens and appendages. The first form is that the appendages are completely under the filaments, such as R. verruculosa ( Chen 1987: 69) Tanaka (2003: 332) , R. medogensis H.Z. Feng & Q.W. Lin in Feng et al. (2022: 91) and R. harderi N. Tanaka, D.P. Hannon & Averyanov in Tanaka et al. (2018: 2). The second form is that the filaments are completely hidden under the appendages, such as R. urotepala Handel-Mazzetti (1920: 272) , R. lichuanensis (Y.K. Yang, J.K. Wu & D.T. Peng in Wang et al. 1991:40) Yamashita & Tamura (2004: 369) and R. rotiformis H.Z. Feng in Feng et al. (2023: 111). Rohdea fargesii var. tsinlingensis ( Fig. 2 ). The new species differs from the above forms in that its stamens and appendages are in the same position and filaments are separated by the appendages. R. brachyanthera is somewhat similar to R. fargesii var. tsinlingensis in having the stamens and appendages are in the same position, but clearly distinguishable mainly by the perianth lobes and tube smooth (vs. densely with whitish lamellae), the appendage ring-shaped and succulent, swell outward, surface smooth (vs. minute vertical coroniform, surface with whitish lamellae).

Appendages are traceable in the evolution of Rohdea fargesii , in R. fargesii var. fargesii the filaments decurrent parts on tube usually dilated and united with adjacent ones, only forming small protuberance at each junction ( Tanaka 2010). In R. fargesii var. tsinlingensis the protuberances are more pronounced than R. fargesii var. fargesii and forming vertical coroniform appendages. In R. brachyanthera the appendages form a conspicuous fleshy ring, swell outward and the base of the filament dilated and triangular, united with the appendages.

In Nanling area, we also collected some robust specimens, the leaves reaching 80 cm long and 10 cm broad and floral bracts are usually prominently exceeding the flowers. It should be corresponded to R. watanabei Hayata (1915: 236) ( Figs. 3 & 4 ) (= Campylandra kwangtungensis Dandy 1933: 127 ; Tupistra heensis Wan & Lu 1987: 81 ), a synonym of R. fargesii var. fargesii (Wang & Tang 1978, Tanaka 2010). The new species is somewhat similar to R. watanabei , but the difference is that the filaments of the latter are obvious; the bases of the filaments dilated and united with adjacent ones and form wavy bulges.

In having triangular filaments, the new species may also look similar to R. pachynema (F.T. Wang & Tang 1949: 18) N. Tanaka (2010: 35) known from western Sichuan, China, but is evidently distinct chiefly in the latter has long slender subterranean stolons and without annular appendages at the top of the perianth tube.

Other specimens examined:— Rohdea japonica . CHINA. Guangdong. Dong’an, S.S. Hu 0609 (HUFD0001711, image!). Guangxi. Fuchuan, Fuchuan Exped. 451123180913036LY (IBK00424435!); Fuchuan Exped. 451123180424011LY (IBK00424434, image!). Quanzhou, J.X. Zhong 81596 (IBK00139296!). Xing’an, Xing’an Exped. 450325160421008LY (GXMG0123043, image!). Ziyuan, Ziyuan Exped. 450329150913018LY (IBK00408224, image!). Hunan. Xinning, Anonymous 496 (PE01570353!).

Rohdea fargesii . CHINA. Guangdong. Leshan, N. K . Chun 42552 ( PE00593184 !). Riuyuan, X. P . Gao 53574 ( PE00593188 !); X. P . Gao 54176 ( PE00593183 !) . Guangxi. Hezhou, C. Y . Zou, J.L. Li, W.J. Liu, X.F. Song, J.Y. Zhao & Q.Y. Lu GPS180725001 ( CSFI075112 !). Ziyuan, Ziyuan Exped. 450329151024077 LY ( GXMG0172757 , image!). Guanyan, Guangyang Exped. 450327151021048 LY ( IBK00403489 , image!). Xing’an, S. L . Yu 900167 ( IBK00139378 , image!) . Hunan. Dongan, X. Li, J, Yang, C.F. Deng 19052120 ( CSFI068739 !). Chenbu, X. L. Yu, K.Z. Huang & T.R. Cao 1084 ( CSFI054490 !); L. Wu, W.J Liu & C.F. Deng 10461 ( CSFI072354 !). Xingning, Y. B . Luo 2524 ( PE00593191 , image!). Yizhang, L . Wu, X. Li, A . Liu & W.J. Liu 8502 ( CSFI066837 !) .

Rohdea watanabei . CHINA. Guangdong. Lianzhou, H. Z. Feng 833. Ruyuan, X. P. Gao 53972 ( IBK00300297 , image!; PE00593181 !; SN014108 , image!). Qujiang, X. P. Gao 50524 (Isotype of Campylandra kwangtungensis, IBSC 0005318!). Ruyuan, X. P. Gao 54196 ( SZ00084210 , image!) . Jiangxi. Jiangxi Exped. 276 ( PE00593099 !) .

Rohdea wattii . CHINA. Guangxi. Gongcheng, Gongcheng Exped. 450332151016040LY (IBK00377716, image!). Guangyang, Guangyang Exped. 450327151021048LY (GXMG0173692, image!). Lingchuan, Lingchuan Exped. 450323130129064LY (IBK00400065, image!). Longsheng, Y.C. Chen 1275 (IBK00146780, image!). Rong’an, Rongan Exped. 450224180905019LY (GXMG0210966, image!). Yongfu, Yongfu Exped. 450326130325040LY (GXMG0152645, image!).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Rohdea brachyanthera. A. habit with flowering scape. B & C. Inflorescence. D & E. Flower, front view. F. Flower, side view. G. Portion of flower, longitudinal section. H, I & L. Portion of flower, longitudinal section and pistil has been removed. J. Portion of flower, lateral view. K. Top of flower, side view. M. Portion of top of flower, side view. top view. N & O. Ovary cross-section.

FIGURE 2. Rohdea fargesii var. tsinlingensis. A. Habit with flowering scape. B. Young inflorescence. C. Old inflorescence. D. Not fully opened flower, front view. E & F. Portion of not fully opened flower, longitudinal section. G. Flower, front view. H. Flower without pistil, front view and showing the interior. I. Flower in longitudinal section.

FIGURE 3. Isotype of Rohdea watanabei. China, Taiwan, Xinzhu, E’gongjishan (λΘψ), K. Watanabe s.n. (TAIF 5998, image!)

FIGURE 4. R. watanabei in Hunan population.A. Habit. B. Inflorescence. C. Bracts. D. Flower, lateral view. E & F. Flower, vertical view. G & I. Flower, longitudinal section. H. Flower, vertical view and perianth tube had been cut open. Cultivated in nursery of Zaozhuang University, Shandong, China.