Aspidistra chunxiuensis C.R.Lin & Yan Liu, 2015

Lin, Chun-Rui, Huang, Xin-Yi, Pan, Bo, Xu, Wei-Bin & Liu, Yan, 2015, Two new species of Aspidistra (Asparagaceae) from Guangxi, China: A. chunxiuensis and A. longshengensis, Phytotaxa 208 (2), pp. 163-169 : 163-166

Aspidistra chunxiuensis C.R.Lin & Yan Liu sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 )

Type: — CHINA. Guangxi, Longzhou County, Chunxiu nature protection, alt. 328 m a.s.l., 28 May 2013, Bo Pan P 056 (holotype IBK!, isotype IBK!).

Herbs perennial, evergreen, rhizomatous. Rhizome creeping, subterete, 6–8 mm thick, nodes dense. Roots numerous. Vaginal leaves 5–6, purple-red, 2–12 cm long, enveloping base of petiole, becoming black-brown when dry. Leaves solitary, 1–2 cm apart; petiole stiff upright, 23–35 cm long, 2–3 mm thick, adaxially sulcate; leaf blade usually broadly ovate to ovate-oblong, 20–32 cm long, 9–11 cm wide, dark green, base broadly cuneate to suborbicular, abruptly narrowed to petiole, inequilateral, apex acuminate, margin entire, with prominent midvein on lower surface and 3–4 inconspicuous secondary veins at both sides. Peduncle erect or declining, purple, 9–11 cm long, with 7–8 bracts, bracts gradually wider from base to top of peduncle, the distal ones at base of perigone broadly ovate, purplish red, 22–28 mm long, 16–20 mm wide, apex obtuse. Flower solitary; perigone campanulate, fleshy, deeply 12 (or 13) lobed apically; tube 10–12 mm long, 35–38 mm in diameter, abaxially withe with purplish red spots, adaxially blackish purple, and with 12 (or 13) keels running from base of stamens to mouth of perigone tube; lobes explanate, subequal, ovate-lanceolate, 30–35 mm long, 6–8 mm wide at base, abaxially densely purplish red spotted, adaxially pale yellow and purplish red mottled at base frequently, each lobe basally with an adaxial, white, odontoid appendage, appendages 4–5 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, with verrucose dark purple margin, the bases explanate protruding horizontally over tube opening and reducing the opening to 18–20 mm. Stamens 12 (or 13), opposite to lobes, subsessile, inserted at the base of perigone tube, anthers oblong, 2–3 mm long and 1–2 mm wide. Pistil 8–10 mm long, ovary inconspicuous, style short, cylindrical, 2–3 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, stigma enlarged, disc-shaped, 5–6 mm thick, ca. 30 mm in diameter, upper surface flat, white, with 6 radial, purplish red, 4-fork-tipped lines from center to margin, its margin purple-red and bent upwards, with 24 (or 26) longitudinal ribs, abaxially white. Flowering from May to June.

Distribution and ecology: — Aspidistra chunxiuensis was collected from broad-leaved forests on rocky, limestone outcrops with deep fissures. The new species is found only in the type locality in Chunxiu, Xiadong Township, Longzhou County, Guangxi, China.

Etymology: — The specific epithet ‘ chunxiuensis ’ is derived from the name of the type locality, Chunxiu Natural Reserve, Longzhou County, Guangxi, China.

Taxonomic relationships: — Aspidistra chunxiuensis is similar to A. grandiflora Tillich in Tillich et. al. (2007: 341) in the shape of flower, but mainly differs by leaf blade broadly ovate to ovate-oblong, 21–31 × 5–7.5 cm, base broadly cuneate to suborbicular; the perigone lobes shorter, 30–35 mm long; stigma upper surface flat, white, with 6 radial, purplish red, 4-fork-tipped lines from center to margin. By contrast, A. grandiflora differs in its leaf blade narrowly obovate, 50 × 11 cm, base narrowly cuneate; the perigone lobes longer, 50–60 mm long; stigma upper surface with 5 purple radial ribs in the central. Aspidistra chunxiuensis is also similar to A. longiloba Li (1988: 156) and A. guangxiensis Tang & Liu (2003: 480) , however, A. longiloba differs in its leaf blade oblanceolate, 50–70 × 10.5–15 cm, base narrowly cuneate, the perigone tube longer, 35–37 mm long, the perigone lobes 70–75 mm long, basal appendage oblong, 13 cm long; A. guangxiensis differs in its flower smaller, lobes 6 or 8, 2–3 cm × 2–6 mm, tube 1–2 cm diameter, stigma 1–1.5 cm diameter, upper surface with 3 or 4 purple ridges at center, margin with 12 or 16 triangular lobes.

Other specimen seen (paratype): — CHINA. Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, Guilin City, Yanshan Township, Guilin Botanical Garden, introduced from the type locality, cultivated, 15 May 2014, C. R. Lin 1046 (IBK!).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aspidistra chunxiuensis. A. Flowering plant; B. Flower, apical view; C. Internal view of perigone showing stamens and pistil; D. Stigma, apical view. Drawn by W. H. Lin from the holotype.

FIGURE 2. Aspidistra chunxiuensis. A. Habit; B. Flower apical view; C. Flower, lateral view; D. Flower with half of perigone removed showing pistil; E. Stigma, abaxial and apical view; F. Flower dissected, showing stamens.