Lyonia villosa (Hook.f. ex C.B.Clarke) Handel-Mazzetti (1936: 789)

Tong, Yihua, Fritsch, Peter W., Huong, Nguyen Thi Thanh, Averyanov, Leonid V., Kuznetsov, Andrey N., Kuznetsova, Svetlana P. & Nuraliev, Maxim S., 2022, Novelties in Vietnamese Craibiodendron, Lyonia and Vaccinium (Ericaceae), Phytotaxa 538 (1), pp. 21-34 : 22-26

Lyonia villosa (Hook.f. ex C.B.Clarke) Handel-Mazzetti (1936: 789) ( Fig. 2 )

Literature: — Judd (1981: 177), Fang & Ming (1986: 569, Fig. 161, 1–4), Chang & Chen (1990: 258), Gao (1991: 35), Long & Rae (1991: 395, Fig. 46 k–n), Hiep & Ho (1996: 88), Ho (1999: 627), Hiep (2003: 440), Kress et al. (2003: 216), Fang et al. (2005: 463), Tang (2011: 637).

Basionym: — Pieris villosa Hook. f. ex C.B. Clarke (1882b: 461).

Homotypic synonyms: — Andromeda villosa Wallich (1829 : n. 762), nom. nud.; Xolisma villosa (Hook.f. ex C.B.Clarke) Rehder (1924: 53).

TYPE: — NEPAL. Gosain Than , August 1821, N. Wallich Cat. no. 762 (lectotype, designated by Judd [1981: 179]: K-W: K001111813 photo!).

Image of lectotype available at http://specimens.kew.org/herbarium/K001111813

Additional specimens examined:— VIETNAM. Lao Cai Province: Bat Xat District, Bat Xat Nature Reserve, 9 km SE of Y Ty village , summit of Lao Than Mountain , shrubby thicket, N 22°36’38’’ E 103°41’11’’, elev. 2810 m, 12 June 2019, M. S. Nuraliev 2719 ( BRIT: BRIT582223 ; IBSC; MW: MW0757538 https://depo.msu.ru/open/public/en/item/ MW0757538 ); [ Lao Cai Province:] Chapa [Sa Pa area], Massif du Fan Tsi Pan [Fansipan Mountain area], ca. 2900 m, August 1942, P. A. Pételot 7986 ( P: P03950447 http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/p03950447, P03950448 http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/p03950448); same location and date, P. A. Pételot 8021 ( P: P03950445 http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/p03950445, P03950446 http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/ p03950446) .

Ecology and phenology: —Conifer and mixed forests, thickets; 1000–4100 m. Flowering from May to August; fruiting from August to October.

Distribution: —NE India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Myanmar, China (Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, SE Tibet, Yunnan), Vietnam (Lao Cai: Bat Xat Nature Reserve and Fansipan Mountain area).

Notes: —1. The presence of Lyonia villosa in Vietnam was indicated by Hiep & Ho (1996), Ho (1999) and Hiep (2003), but until now has not been confirmed by specimen citation. Ho (1999) reported the species to be found in Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range, apparently basing the report on the specimens Pételot 7986 and 8021. Hiep & Ho (1996) and Hiep (2003) listed L. villosa for Lao Cai and Kon Tum provinces; we were unable to trace any specimens of this species from Kon Tum.

In addition, Trang et al. (2018) reportedly collected L. villosa in Son La Province of Vietnam, but according to the published image ( Trang et al. 2018: Fig. 2L ) their collection is likely to belong to L. ovalifolia ( Wallich 1820: 391) Drude (1889: 44) .

2. Based on their hairy petioles and abaxial leaf surface, we identify the Vietnamese gatherings as Lyonia villosa var. pubescens ( Franchet 1887: 44) Judd (1981: 182) , which is also known to occur in Bhutan, N Myanmar, SE Tibet, N Yunnan, SW Sichuan and Guizhou ( Rehder 1934, Judd 1981, Chang & Chen 1990).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Lyonia villosa var. pubescens. A. Habit. B, C. Leaf, adaxial and abaxial surfaces. D. Axillary raceme. E. Flower, oblique view from below. F. Flower, oblique apical view. G. Flower, lateral view. H. Flower, apical view. I. Flower, longitudinal section. J. Stamen, lateral view. Photos by M. Nuraliev from Nuraliev 2719.