Typhonium parvum Yi F. Li & Qing L. Wang, 2024

Li, Yi F. & Wang, Qing L., 2024, Typhonium parvum (Araceae), a new species of Hainan Island, China, Phytotaxa 663 (3), pp. 140-148 : 140-146

Typhonium parvum Yi F. Li & Qing L. Wang , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 , 5 )

Typhonium parvum is different from any other Chinese members of Typhonium with the smallest size of the entire plant, especially inflorescence. Staminodes of T. parvum are subglobose to slightly angulate, this extraordinary feature is only consistent with T. subglobosum Hett. & Sookchaloem in Hetterscheid et al. (2001: 48–49), the latter is only reported in Thailand and Cambodia.

Type: — CHINA. Hainan: Changjiang [ēȗ县], Wangxia [ƚ下乡], Huangdidong [ffiṣfi], in the area of limestone and rocks, 276m, 15th Aug. 2023, Qing L. Wang 2023081576 (holotype BAZI!, isotypes PE!, KUN!, CSH!, ATCH!).

Perennial herb, underground part a short tuberous rhizome, ca. 0.8–1.0 cm in length, 0.6–0.8 cm in diam., producing annual offsets. Leaf petiole to 4–10 cm in length, 0.8–1.5 mm in diam., smooth, pale green; blade elliptic-ovate to ovate-cordate, 2–6 × 0.9–4.7 cm, entire, base cordate, top acute or ovate, pale green abaxially, green adaxially. Inflorescence simultaneous with developing leaves or after leaf development, peduncle to 2–3 cm in length, 1.0– 1.8 mm in diam., pale green. Spathe 3–4 cm in length, base and limb separated by a constriction; base broadly ovate, convolute, ca. 0.8 cm in length, 0.5–0.8 cm in diam., smooth, pale green to pale purple; limb narrowly elongate triangular, acute, 2.2–3.0 cm in length, base widened to ca. 0.8–1.0 cm, upper part slightly arching forward, outside pale purple or purplish pink, inside whitish. Spadix longer than spathe, 6–8 cm long; female zone shortly conical, 0.5–1.0 mm in length, consisting of 2 whorls of congested flowers; sterile part 4–5 mm in length, with only 1 whorl of neuter flower at base, remaining part naked, smooth, white to pale purple; male zone cylindric to globose, 1.0– 1.5 mm in length, ca. 2.5 mm in diam., flowers congested; appendix filiform, 4–6 cm, 1.5 mm in diam., top acute, brownish purple to pale purple, base truncate, stipitate, stipe 2.5–4.0 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diam., purple to pale purple. Ovaries elongate, slightly obconical, ca. 0.3 mm long, ca. 0.2 mm in diam., unilocular, uni-ovulate, white, stigma sessile, pale purple or white. Anthers butterfly-shaped, yellow; staminodes solitary or 2 or 3 fused with their bases, ca. 0.3 mm in length, ca. 0.2 mm in diam., subglobose to slightly angulate, top tapering, surface minutely verruculate, yellow to orange. Berries elliptic, 3 mm in length, 2 mm in diam., one-seeded. Seeds obconic, ca. 2 mm., yellowish orange.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— CHINA. Yunnan: Cultivated in Bazi Botanical Garden , Yu’er Wang [ƚã儿] 652 ( BAZI!, in spirit) ; Hainan: Changjiang [ēȗ县], Wangxia [ƚ下乡], Hongshui [DZAEffl], 272 m, on rocks and stone walls of roadside, Qing L. Wang 2023081577 ( IBSC!) ; Changjiang [ēȗ县], Qing L. Wang 2011080706, 889 m ( ATCH) ; Changjiang [ēȗ县], Wangxia [ƚ下乡], Huangdidong [ffiṣfi], 271 m, 9th Sept. 2021, Qing L. Wang 2021090966 ( PE!) .

Distribution and habitats: —Known only from Hainan Island, South China, in cracks of limestone and rocks, altitude 276– 889 m. The living tuber of type individual cultivated at Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (Danzhou, Hainan, China) and Bazi Botanical Garden (Mengzi, Yunnan, China).

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting from August to October. The leaves wilt in November and the tuber divides into a few small tubers with young shoots. Flowering and fruiting from April to October when in cultivation.

Etymology:— Typhonium parvum is named for having a small-sized inflorescence consisted of the smallest neuter flowers in the genus. Its Chinese vernacular name is proposed as “ 小ë头尖 ” (pinyin: Xiǎo Lítóujiān).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Typhonium parvum. A-C. Habitat; D. Whole plants. Photographs taken by Qing L. Wang (A, B, D); Z. X. Ma (C).

FIGURE 2. Typhonium parvum. A. Leaves; B. Rhizome; C. Spathe; D & E. Male zone; F. Female zone and staminodes; G. Fruits; H. Seeds; I. Showing appendix stipitate. Photographs taken by Qing L. Wang.

FIGURE 5. Typhonium parvum. A. Plant with rhizome; B. Leaves; C. Spadix; D. Showing appendix stipitate; E. Female zone and staminodes; F. Staminode; G. Fruit; H. Seed. Drawn by Yi F. Li.