Chassalia kinabaluensis 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 : 27-30

Chassalia kinabaluensis T.Y.Yu sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77215407-1

Figs 14–15

Diagnosis

Similar to Chassalia atropurpurea sp. nov., differs in having green-brown, not dark purple stems, pedicels, midribs and inflorescence axes; in having a shorter peduncle, 3.5 cm long when flowering (not 3.5–6 cm long); differs also in having relatively long pedicels, 2–4 mm long (not subsessile or sessile).

Etymology

The epithet alludes to Mount Kinabalu to which the new species is endemic.

Type

MALAYSIA – Borneo , Sabah • Mount Kinabalu, head of Liawagu River Trail; alt. 1800–1900 m; 6°02′ N, 116°33′ E; 23 Mar. 1995; John H. Beaman 11299; holotype: K [ K001129712 ]!; isotypes: UNIMAS, IBEC .

Additional material

MALAYSIA – Borneo, Sabah • Tenompok, Mount Kinabalu ; alt. 1500 m; Jun. 1932; J. & M. S. Clemens 28169; K ! • Mesilau River ; alt. 1500 m; 27 Jan.1964; RSNB 4157 ; K ! • Ranau, Tenompok F. R., Lower Montane Forest ; 30 Aug. 2001; JTP 825; K ! • along the East Mesilau River between Mt Kinabalu golf course site and Mesilau Cave ; 6°03′ N, 116°36′ W; alt. 1700–1900 m; 20 Dec. 1983; John H. Beaman 7977; K!, MSC, UKMS • Mt Kinabalu National Park, montane oak forest; alt. 1630 m; 27 May 1966; Ding Hou 227; K!, L .

Description

Shrub to treelet, 0.5–0.9 m tall, glabrous, stems green-brown (also pedicels, midribs and inflorescence axes). Internodes from flowering branch (1–)2–5(–9.5) cm × 2–4 mm, lower internodes terete, upper internodes usually flattened, canaliculate, broadening at apex, base 2–4 mm wide, apex 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blades narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, 13–21.5 × 3.5–5 cm, margin entire, apex acute, base cuneate; midrib slightly raised above, domatia absent; secondary nerves 8–12 on each side of the midrib, prominent above; tertiary nerves not visible. Petiole terete, sometimes canaliculate, usually slightly winged, 10–25 × 1–2 mm. Stipule not sheathing, broadly flabellate, 5–11 × 8–10 mm, apex usually broken. Inflorescence a compound cyme, 6–12 cm long; peduncle 3.5–6 cm long; bracts of first internode of rachis and first branches 2, triangular, flabellate or lanceolate, 3–12 × 1–3 mm, sometimes with 2–3 teeth on the margin; first internode of rachis and first branches 4.5–8.5 cm long; second internode of rachis and second branches 2.5–4.5 cm long; bracts of capitulum oblong-obovate, 3–5 × 2 mm, apex rounded. Pedicel short, 2–4 × 0.5 mm. Flowers subsessile, usually 5 in each capitulum, 10–12 mm long, hypanthium 1–3 × 0.6–0.8 mm, calyx tube 0.3–1 × 1–2.5 mm, lobes 0.3 × 0.4–0.5 mm. Corolla cream white or purplish white, tube base narrow, 0.6–1.2 mm wide, broadening from midway, apex 3.5–4.5 mm wide, corolla lobes triangular, 2.5 × 2 mm. Fruits iridescent blue, ellipsoid, 7–8 × 4–5.5 mm, with pedicels 2–4 mm long. Pyrenes plano-convex, dorsal surface convex, with two adjacent parallel longitudinal crests, each 0.3 mm wide, curved, 0.3 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 0.6 mm wide, with a groove between the edge of endocarp and endocarpal outgrowth 0.2–0.3 mm wide. Raphal opening at base of the endocarpal outgrowth, narrowly ovoid, 0.5 × 0.2 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm from the edge of the pyrene wall, apex with a bony spine, spine triangular, erect, 0.5–0.7 × 0.2–0.3 mm. PGS not detected. Seed light brown, hemiellipsoid, slightly crested at central part of dorsal side, 0.3 × 4 mm, endosperm not detected.

Distribution, habitat

Borneo: Sabah, Mount Kinabalu (Kinabalu National Park), Lower montane forest, alt. 1100–1500 m.

Figures

Fig. 14. Chassalia kinabaluensis T.Y.Yu sp. nov.A. Flowering shoot. B. Flower. C. Part of infructescence. D. Dry fruit. E. Pyrene ventral surface. From John H. Beaman 11299. Drawn by T.Y. Yu.

Fig. 15. Holotype of Chassalia kinabaluensis T.Y.Yu sp. nov. (John H. Beaman 11299).