Capparis scortechinii var. ruthiae Julius, 2022

Julius, Avelinah, 2022, Capparis (Capparaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia, including a new species and two new varieties, PhytoKeys 189, pp. 99-127 : 99

Capparis scortechinii var. ruthiae Julius var. nov.

Figures 4 , 5

Diagnosis.

Recognised in the genus Capparis by the combination of the following characters: the racemes are strictly terminal and compact with flowers subtended by a conspicuous and persistent unguiculate, leaf-like bracts and the smaller [(13-)16-25 × 2-8 mm], greenish, thin leaf-like bracts covered with densely, tomentose, straw hairs on both surfaces soon glabrescent with age and the sepals (inner pair) glabrous along the margin and the filaments and gynophore both entirely glabrous and the petals loosely ciliate along margin.

Type.

Peninsular Malaysia. Pahang: Fraser's Hill , 25 Jan 1982 (fl.), Kiew RK 3747 (holotype KLU!) .

Description.

Climber ca. 1.5 m long or scrambling shrub (height unknown). Twigs straight covered with indumentum of dense, appressed, pale brown hairs soon glabrescent. Stipular thorns retrorse, tips 1-2 mm long. Leaves spirally arranged, but in one plane; petioles 10-15 × ca. 10 mm long, slender, young densely hairy with brown hairs soon glabrescent with age; lamina narrowly elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 8.5-11.5(-13.5) × 2.6-3.6 cm, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, drying brownish-green, base cuneate, margin flat and entire, apex acuminate and slightly caudate, with acumen 5-7(-10) mm long, glabrous above, sparsely hairy, denser on mid-rib beneath; mid-rib flat above, raised beneath; lateral veins 4-6 pairs, sunken above, distinct beneath, reddish when dry, looping towards the margin; intercostal veins reddish, finely reticulate, obscure above, distinct beneath. Inflorescences terminal, elongated racemes, rachis stout, straight, 3-8(-10) cm long, densely hairy with pale brown hairs; bracts leaf-like, unguiculate, lanceolate, (13-)16-25 × 2-8 mm, densely hairy with pale brown hairs on both surfaces. Flowers [in bud] many, compact, buds globose, 4-7 × 3-7 mm; pedicels 4-5 mm long, brownish; sepals 4, thin, green, orbicular to ovate, 4-6 × 4-6 mm, outer pair imbricate, densely hairy with appressed pale brown hairs outside, glabrous inside, inner pair with broadly transparent margin, glabrous on both surfaces; petals 4, pinkish, obovate, 6.5-7 × 4.5-5.5 mm, glabrous on both surfaces, except long, silky hairs at base of dorsal pair and dense, short silky hairs at base of ventral pair inside, loosely, ciliate along margin; stamens numerous, unequal length, filament pinkish, ca. 5-6 mm long, anther dorsifixed, ca. 1.5 × 0.5 mm; ovary ovoid, ca. 1.5 × 2.5 mm, on gynophore ca. 4 mm long, glabrous, stigma obscure. Fruits young green, mature fruit n.v., globose on stout gynophore, ca. 9.5 cm in diameter. Seeds many.

Vernacular names.

Susoh beruga, kuku lang (Malay).

Distribution.

Endemic in Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang, known only from Fraser’s Hill and Cameron Highlands (Fig. 4 ).

Ecology.

On degraded hill slopes and open areas along the forest margins, gaps or roadsides, hill forest to lower montane forest at ca. 1280 m elevation.

Etymology.

This new variety is named after Dr Ruth Kiew, collector of type specimen and the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project co-ordinator and consultant.

Conservation status.

Capparis scortechinii var. ruthiae was conspicuous and inhabits forest margins, gaps or pathway near roadsides, but has not been relocated after 1993 at the original localities and adjacent areas even though they have been revisited many times. As the estimated extent of occurrence is less than 500 km2 and the declining of habitat quality, this variety is assessed as a Vulnerable B2ab(iii), following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2001, 2012).

Notes.

Amongst the known members of Trinervia-group, Capparis scortechinii var. ruthiae (Fig. 5 ) is closely related to var. Capparis scortechinii scortechinii because both are characterised by the compact racemes. However, the new species has racemes strictly in terminal (but axillary rarely terminal in var. Capparis scortechinii scortechinii ) and the leaf-like bracts are smaller and greenish with tomentose, straw hairs on both surfaces, which is glabrescent with age abaxially (compared to a larger and prominent of velvety, shiny, rusty hairs in var. Capparis scortechinii scortechinii ). The new variety also differs in its entirely glabrous filament and gynophore (while var. Capparis scortechinii scortechinii has the filament and gynophore densely hairy at the base), the petals are loosely ciliate along the margin (but glabrous in var. Capparis scortechinii scortechinii ), and the inner pair of sepals are glabrous along the margin (but ciliate in var. Capparis scortechinii scortechinii ).

Flowers with a vestigial and well-developed gynoecium are presented in Capparis scortechinii var. scortechinii , but only well-developed gynoecium observed in var. Capparis scortechinii ruthiae .

Additional specimens examined.

Peninsular Malaysia. Pahang: one-way road to Fraser’s Hill, 25 Jan 1982 (fl.), Kiew RK 1116 (KEP!); Fraser’s Hill, 1 Aug 1993 (fl.), A. Zainuddin AZ4636 (KEP!); Fraser's Hill , Jalan kecil to Gap , 19 Jun 1930 (fl.), Kalong FMS22381 (KEP!); Fraser’s Hill, Richmond, 21 Apr 1955 (fr.), Purseglove P 4248 (L- image!, barcode L1856045) Cameron Highlands, 13 Apr 1930 (fr.), Henderson SFN23551 (KEP!, SING!) .

Figures

Figure 4. Distribution of Capparis scortechinii var. ruthiae.

Figure 5. Capparis scortechinii var. ruthiae Julius, var. nov. A flowering (bud) leafy twig with stipular thorns close-up next to it B flower bud close-up C flower bud with sepals and petals removed exhibiting the stamens D adaxial view of outer sepal (upper) and inner sepal (below) E dorsal petals, adaxial view (i) and abaxial view (ii) F ventral petals, exhibiting adaxial with hairs at base (left) and abaxial view (right) G flower bud dissected exhibiting one elongated stamen and the ovary on gynophore H anther, front (right) and back view (left) I fruit in cross-section and seeds (below) J an unguiculate leaf-like bract K venation close-up. (Drawn by Mohamad Aidil Noordin from Kiew RK 3747 [A-H, J, L] and from Henderson 23551 [I]: the scale for C is similar to B).