Chassalia involucrata T.Y.Yu, 2021

Yu, Tian Yi, Turner, Ian M. & Cheek, Martin, 2021, Revision of Chassalia (Rubiaceae-Rubioideae-Palicoureeae) in Borneo, with 14 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 738, pp. 1-60 : 23-26

Chassalia involucrata T.Y.Yu sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77215406-1 Fig. 12–13

Diagnosis

Differs from other species of Chassalia in Borneo in having large leaves up to 48 cm long and 15 cm wide (they are much smaller in other species), in the capitulum having outer and inner bracts up to 1.5 cm wide (broader than in any other species), in the infructescences usually persisting for a whole season until new inflorescences are produced (not soon disappearing after fruit maturity). Most similar to, but differing from, C. calamus sp. nov. in having bracts usually longer than the flower bud (not shorter), in having a longer peduncle, in having bigger leaves (to 48 × 12 cm, not to 33 × 12 cm) and more secondary veins (up to 26 on each side of the midrib, not <18), and in having longer (4–14 cm, not <5 cm) petioles.

Etymology

The epithet alludes to the involucrate bracts of rachis and capitulum, which are larger and more conspicuous than in other species of the genus in Borneo.

Type

BRUNEI • Temburong district, Kuala Belalong, Batu Apoi Forest Reserve, at the Sungai Engkiang River, towards the Sungai Belalong, below Pondok Engkiang; 115°09′ E, 4°33′ N; 22 Nov. 1991; Carlo Hansen 1608; holotype: K [ K001129724 ] !.

Additional material

BRUNEI • S. Belalong below Kuala Ropan; 11 Feb. 1959; P.S. Ashton BRUN 5227 ; BRUN, K!, SING!, BRUN • Temburong District, LZ 298, beside the Temburong River; 19 Sep. 1988; W. K. Wong WKM 484; K!, SING !.

MALAYSIA – Borneo , Sabah • Tambunan District, Crocker Range, Km 64 on Kota Kinabalu – Tambunan Road; 5°46′ N, 116°21′ W; alt. 1250 m; 11 Oct. 1983; John Beaman 7268; K!, MSC, UKMS. – Borneo , Sarawak • Kuching District, 12 th mile Penrissen Road; 19 Sep. 1966; Banyeng ak Nudong et Benang ak Bubong, S 25474 ; A, BO, K!, L, SAN, SING, SAN, A, BO • Nanga Segera Base Camp, Ulu Engkari , Lanjak Entimau , Wildlife Sanctuary ; 4 Jun. 1998; Kit Pearce, Awg Enjah S 78122 ; K!, KEP, L .

Description

Herb, semi-woody shrub to small tree, 1–4 m tall, glabrous. Stem strong and thick, 0.5–0.7 cm wide, slightly hollowed or not. Internodes 3–13.5 cm long, thick, sometimes slightly canaliculate, slightly broadening at apex. Stipules big, flabellate, 1–1.5 × 1–2 cm, base usually divided into 2 parts. Leafblades large, broadly elliptic, 13–36 × 6–15 cm, midrib slightly raised both abaxially and adaxially, secondary veins 14–26 on each side, apex acuminate, acumen 5–18 mm long, base cuneate or attenuate, petiole long, 4–14 cm × 1.5–3 mm. Peduncle (5–)20–25 × 1.5–3 mm, bracts of rachis and first branches 2, opposite, usually connate to half the length, each bract 1.5–2 × 1–1.2 cm, sheath 0.5–0.7 × 2 cm, rachis and secondary branches very short to absent, 2–6 mm long, bracts of secondary branches 2, not sheathing, 12–15 × 10–12 mm, bracts of each capitulum elliptic, 8–12 × 5–10 mm. Flowers sessile in each capitulum, 16 mm long. Hypanthium 2 × 0.5 mm, calyx tube 0.5 × 1.3 mm, calyx lobes broadly triangular, 0.2 × 0.5 mm. Corolla tube 20 × 1 mm, broadening to 3 mm from midway, glabrous except inside corolla tube a band of hairs 2 mm wide at base of stamens, 7 mm from mouth of corolla tube, hairs erect, colourless, 0.1–0.2 mm long; corolla lobes 5, triangular, 4.5 × 2 mm. Stamens 2.5 mm long, slightly concave, base bifurcate, inserted 2 mm from mouth of corolla, filaments very short and broad, less than 0.1 mm long. Style probably exserted, stigma bilobed, lobes orbiculate, 1 × 0.8 mm. Disc cylindric, 1 × 1 mm, apex flat. Fruit sessile, ellipsoid, 7 × 5 × 4 mm, ripening blue, calyx persistent, not accrescent, 0.5 × 1.5 mm, disc persistent, not accrescent, 0.7 × 0.7 mm. Pyrene plano-convex, 6 × 5 × 2 mm, dorsal surface convex, with two adjacent parallel longitudinal crests, 0.4 mm wide, 0.4 mm apart along their length, forming a longitudinal groove from apex to base between the two crests; ventral surface concave, central part slightly elevated, margin with an endocarpal outgrowth 0.5–0.8 mm wide, with a groove between the edge of endocarp and endocarpal outgrowth 0.2 mm wide. Raphal opening at base of the endocarpal outgrowth, round, 0.1 mm in diameter, 0.5 mm from the edge of the pyrene wall, apex with a bony spine, spine triangular, erect, 0.5 × 0.2 mm. PGS not detected. Seed light brown, hemi-ellipsoid, 0.5 × 5 mm, longitudinally slightly crested at midline of dorsal surface, endosperm not detected.

Distribution, habitat

Borneo: Malaysia, Sarawak, Sabah; Brunei. River banks in lowland forest, alt. 100–350(–1250) m.

Figures

Fig. 12. Chassalia involucrata T.Y.Yu sp. nov. A. Flowering shoot. B. Inflorescence. C. Flower. D. Longitudinal view of corolla showing stamens, band of hairs, stigma, style and disc.E. Infructescence with stem node showing fresh fruit. F. Dry fruit. G. Pyrene ventral surface. A, C–D, F–G from Carlo Hansen 1608; B, E from photographs of living plants in Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei, taken by Mr Y.W. Low. Drawn by T.Y. Yu.

Fig. 13. Holotype of Chassalia involucrata T.Y.Yu sp. nov. (Carlo Hansen 1608).