Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis Y.H.Chen & T.H.Huang

Chen, Yu-Huan, Huang, Ting-Hsuan, Lu, Chang-Tse & Shen, Rong-Show, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Tricyrtis (Liliaceae) in Taiwan and a new species, Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis, Phytotaxa 655 (3), pp. 231-248 : 238-242

3. Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis Y.H.Chen & T.H.Huang , sp. nov. ( Figs. 3–5 .) líng yúnyányóu diǎn cǎo (Ǐẕfiėēḍ)

Type:— TAIWAN. Chiayi Country: Zhuqi Township , Lingyunyan , elev. ca. 1100 m, 22 Sep 2022, Chen & Huang 11109071 ( holotype: HAST; isotypes: HAST, TAIF) .

Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis resembles T. lasiocarpa in its pubescent capsules and overall appearance. However, it can be distinguished from T. lasiocarpa by its larger storage root number (45–55 vs. 6–20), longer stem length (125.0–150.0 vs. 90.0–100.0 cm), wider bulb (1.0–1.5 vs. 0.3–0.7 cm), larger leaf size (25.0–30.0 × 10.0–15.0 cm vs. 15.0–20.0 × 6.0–7.0 cm), abundant inflorescences and capsules (135–140 vs. 15–20) and dried capsules uniquely falling off the pedicel.

Deciduous perennial herbs with 45–55 contractile roots, 0.5–0.6 cm wide, 1–2 stoloniform rhizomes, 1.0–5.0 × 0.6–0.8 cm and bulbs, 1.0– 1.5 cm in diameter, tunic thin and brown, scales light green. Stems erect or arching, 125.0–150.0 cm long; lower stem and upper stem glabrate. Leaves ovate and oblanceolate, sessile, decurrent and ochreate, with no purple spots, apex acuminate, entire, 25.0–30.0 × 10.0–15.0 cm, adaxially light green and glabrous; abaxially midrib and surface setose, one obvious vein; leaves near inflorescence broadly lanceolate to elliptic, cordate at base. Inflorescence cyme, 35.0–50.0 cm long; pedicels 1.0–2.0 cm long, strigose; peduncles 4.0–5.0 cm long, strigose. Flowers open for 2–4 days; outer tepals lanceolate, recurved distally, apex acuminate to acute, bluish magenta, big purple dots, glossy sheen, with yellow speckles near the base, 4.0–4.3 × 1.0– 1.3 cm; inner tepals oblanceolate, linear, linear-lanceolate, shortly recurved distally, almost straight proximally, bluish magenta, big purple dots, glossy sheen, with yellow speckles near the base, 29.0–32.0 × 50.0– 50.3 mm; spur bilobed, apex oblong, densely hairy, 4.5–4.7 mm long, no midrib; stamens 6; filaments slender, taller than tepals, yellow with red spots; anthers oblong, versatile,

3.0–4.0 mm long; ovary strigose, green, 3-celled; style straight and simple; stigmas 3, bifurcate, yellow with red spots, branches with many transparent papillate. Capsule erect, strigose, 3.0–4.0 cm long, indehiscent, transverse slit on pericarp at mature, base with abscission and fall off. Seeds slender, lanceolate, light brown, 1.5–1.6 mm long.

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting July–November, deciduous, winter dormant.

Distribution and habitat:— On rocky slopes of evergreen broad-leaf forests. Currently known only near Lingyunyan Temple, north of Wunfong Mountain, 1000–1200 m.

Etymology:— Refering to the type locality at Lingyunyan Temple.

Chromosome number:— 2 n = 26, reported here ( Fig. 6 ).

Notes:— This species that has been observed to be pollinated by Amegilla urens ( Apidae ) in the wild.After fruiting, the above-ground portion of the plant withers completely by the end of October ( Fig. 4E ). The dried capsules split horizontally and gradually detach from the inflorescences ( Fig. 3D ). The underground portion of the plant develops a rhizome that grows outward, with the tip of the rhizome forming a tunicate bulb with numerous contractile roots ( Fig. 4A ). Bulbils develop at the nodes of the aerial stem aboveground ( Fig. 4D ). These contractile roots are thick and radial and lack lateral roots. They attach tightly to the surface of rocks and turn green if exposed to sunlight. The rhizomes and bulbs mature before dormancy, which grow into a new plant in the following year ( Fig. 4C ). A morphological and habitat comparison of this species with the other species in Taiwan is presented in Table 2 .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis. A. Habit. B. Flower, front view. C. Flower, side view. D. Mature capsule with transverse slits. E. Seed. F.Adaxial surface of tepal, inner (left), outer (right). G.Abaxial surface of tepal, inner (left), outer (right). H. Adaxial surface of leaf. I. Abaxial surface of leaf. Photos taken by Y.H. Chen.

FIGURE 4. Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis. A. Rhizome (arrow), bulb (arrowhead) and storage roots (asterisk). B. Half-dissected bulb and bud (arrowhead). C. A new shoot growing from the bulb (arrow). C-1. Magnified bulb. D. Bulb (arrowhead) attached to the mother stem (arrow) with rhizome. E. The above ground part of T. lingyunyanensis during dormancy (circle). F–G. Habitat. Photos taken by Y.H. Chen and T.H. Huang.

FIGURE 5. Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis. A. Habit. B. Half-dissected bulb. C. The new bulb developing from the rhizome (left) attached to the mother stem with the rhizome (right). D. Spur. E. Tepal, outer (left), inner (right). F. Capsule. G. Seed. Drawing by Y.H. Chen.

FIGURE 6. Somatic chromosome figure of Tricyrtis lingyunyanensis, 2n = 26.