New species and new combinations in Brassaiopsis (Araliaceae) from Vietnam and southwestern China Wen, Jun Lowry Ii, Porter P. Adansonia 2006 3 28 1 181 190 N7R9 J.Wen & Lowry J. Wen & Lowry. Comparison 2006 [130,537,1356,1382] Magnoliopsida Araliaceae Brassaiopsis Plantae Apiales 6 187 Tracheophyta species gigantea sp. nov.  ( Fig. 3)   Arbor. Folia chartacea, 15-35 cmlonga, 15-30 cmlata, lobis 5-7, marginae serratis. Panicula terminalis 30-35 cmlonga, stellato-pubescens; umbellate 17-25-florae, pedicellis 8-20 mmlongis. Ovarium biloculare, stylis connatis.   TYPUS. —  Vietnam. Ninh Binh Prov., Cuc Phuong National Park, primary forest, 105°34’13.2”E, 20°22’54.0”N,  200 m,  28.VIII.2000, fl.,   N. M. Cuong, D.  T. Kien& M.V.   Sinh1068, tree  6 mtall, dbh 49 cm, bark gray, flowers dull white (holo-, F!).   PARATYPES. —  Vietnam. Ninh Binh Prov., Cuc Phuong National Park, near headquarter, 20°14’59.5”N, 105°42’55.9”E,  150 m, 1. I.2002, ster., J.  Wen, N. T.  Hiep& N. M.   Cuong6118( F!, HN!). — Nho Quan District, Cuc Phuong National Park, hotspot 33, 11 km from Bong, primary forest on steep limestone slope, 20°17’21.0”N, 105°40’16.8”E,  315 m, 25. V .2000, ster., D.D. Soejarto& N. M .   Cuong11614( F!). — Inreservato Cuc Phuong,  400 m,  V .1965, fr.,  Ng. Anh Tieps.n.( P!). DESCRIPTION Tree 6-12 mtall, dbh 10-50 cm, andromonoecious, stem gray, with conical prickles 3-6 mmlong. Leaves simple, 5-7-lobed, the sinuses reaching to c. 2/3 to the base, stipules adnate in lower 1/2 to the petiole, free portions lanceolate, 5-6.5 mmlong, 1-1.2 mmwide, pubescent and subcoriaceous, leaf blade 15-35 cmlong, 15-30 cmwide, papyraceous to thickly so, stellate above, densely stellate below, lobes elliptic to ovate, (7-) 10-20 cmlong, 6-11 cmwide, primary veins 5-7, secondary and tertiary veins prominent on both surfaces, base cordate, margin serrate to sparsely so in apical 3/4, the teeth 1-2 mmlong, entire in basal 1/4, apex acuminate; petiole 15-30 cmlong, stellate. Inflorescence an upright terminal panicle, unarmed, stellate, primary axis 30-35 cmlong, secondary axes 9-10, 15- 22 cmlong at anthesis, each bearing a terminal umbel of bisexual flowers and 2-6 lateral umbels of apparently mostly bisexual and male flowers, terminal umbel 3.7-4.2 cmdiam., with 20-25 flowers, peduncles of the lateral umbels 1-3 cmlong, lateral umbels 1.7-2 cmin diam. in bud, with 17-20 flowers; bracts persistent, sometimes with 1-2 small lobes at the lower or middle part, coriaceous and pubescent, narrowly triangular, 6- 10 mmlong, 2.5-3 mmwide; pedicels inarticulate, densely stellate, 8-20 mmlong; bracteoles subtending pedicels lanceolate, 3-4.5 mmlong, 0.8-1.2 mmwide, persistent. Floral buds conspicuously angular in appearance. Sepals 5, triangular, 0.7-0.9 mmlong, 0.8-1 mmwide, petals 5, ovate-triangular, 3.5-4 mmlong, 2-2.5 mmwide, stamens 5, filaments 3-4 mmlong, anthers oblong, 1.3-1.5 mmlong, c. 1 mmwide, ovary 2-locular, styles united, stigmas inconspicuous, disc slightly projected. Fruits ellipsoid to slightly obovoid, 6-7 mmlong, 4.4-6 mmin diam.  REMARKS   Brassaiopsis giganteahas the largest girth of any member of the genus, forming trees to 12 min height, with a trunk that can reach 50 cmdbh. It resembles  B. grushvitzkyiJ.Wen, Lowry & T.H.Nguyênof southwestern Chinaand northern Vietnamin its tree habit, stellate leaf pubescence, and coriaceous inflorescence bracts, but differs in its serrate or sparsely serrate (vs. entire) leaf margin and bilocular (vs. 5-locular) ovary (also see Wen et al.2003).  Brassaiopsis giganteacan be distinguished from  B. phanrangensisShangfrom north-central Vietnamin having leaves that are densely stellate on both surfaces (vs. glabrous above and sparsely short tomentose to stellate below, especially along the veins) and papyraceous to thickly papyraceous (vs. thin chartaceous), and inflorescences that are stellate throughout at anthesis (vs. glabrescent except at the nodes of the inflorescence axes and umbels, which are densely lanate at anthesis, then almost glabrescent in fruit) with stellate (vs. densely lanate) bracts.  Brassaiopsis giganteacan be easily distinguished from  B. stellataK.M.Fengof southwestern Chinaand northern Vietnamby its robust and upright (vs. slender and drooping) inflorescence and 5-7-lobed (vs. mostly 3-5-lobed) leaves, as well as its arborescent (vs. shrubby) habit.  DISTRIBUTION Known only from Ninh Binh Provincein northcentral Vietnam; 150-400 m. PHENOLOGY Flowering in late August, fruiting in May. 2000-08-28 TYPUS Vietnam 200 20.381666 Cuc Phuong National Park 1 105.570335 6 187 1 Ninh Binh [354,501,1622,1646] N, M Cuong Vietnam 6 187 1 [504,571,1622,1646] T Kien Vietnam 6 187 1 F Vietnam 6 Sinh 6 187 1 I Vietnam 150 20.24986 Cuc Phuong National Park 1 105.71552 6 187 1 Ninh Binh paratype [1064,1156,268,292] N, T Wen Vietnam 6 187 1 Ninh Binh Prov. paratype N, M Hiep Vietnam 6 187 1 Ninh Binh Prov. paratype F, HN, V Cuong Vietnam Nho Quan District 315 20.289165 Bong 1 105.67133 Cuc Phuong National Park 6 187 1 Ninh Binh Prov. paratype N, M Soejarto Vietnam 6 187 1 Ninh Binh Prov. paratype F, V Cuong & Cuc Phuong Vietnam 400 In 6 187 1 Ninh Binh Prov. paratype [771,1081,427,451] P Ng. Anh Tiep Vietnam 6 187 1 Ninh Binh Prov. paratype