Botanical Studies (2011) 52: 367-373.

SYSTEMATICS

Aspidistra erecta (Asparagaceae), a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China

Yan LIU¹, Yoshiko KONO², Chun-Rui LIN¹, Wei-Bin XU¹, and Ching-I PENG² *

¹Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin
541006, P.R. China

²Herbarium (HAST), Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan

(Received February 12, 2010; Accepted February 15, 2011)

ABSTRACT. Aspidistra erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng (Asparagaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from the limestone areas in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It resembles A. fungilli-formis Y. Wan in floral shape, but differs in its longer pistil than perianth tube, curvulate style, and exserted stigma. In this amazingly diverse genus, A. erecta distinguishes itself as the only Chinese Aspidistra, of over 60 others, having an upright stem. A somatic chromosome count of 2n = 38 and a karyotype formula 2n = 22m+4sm^2SC+12st were determined for A. erecta. The new species is known from only two localities in southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, near the border with northern Vietnam. Color plates, line drawings and a distribution map are provided to aid in identification.

Keywords: Asparagaceae; Aspidistra erecta; Aspidistra fungilliformis; China; Chromosome number; Guangxi; Karyotype; Limestone flora; New species.

INTRODUCTION

Herbs perennial, evergreen. Stem erect, to 1 m high, supported by a few stilt roots, stem subterete, 4-7 mm thick, internodes unequal, to 4 cm long. Vaginal leaves 3-5, green with purple-brown spots, 1-6 cm long, becoming fibrous remnants covering the stem. Leaves 3-10 cm apart, petiole slightly stiff, 6-18 cm long, ca. 2 mm thick, somewhat thicker towards the base, adaxially sulcate; leaf blade usually oblong-lanceolate or ovate-elliptic, 12-23 cm long, 4-7 cm wide, green, base suborbicular, abruptly narrowed to the petiole, inequilateral, apex gradually acuminate, margin entire, midvein moderately prominent abaxially, each half of leaf blade with three stronger secondary veins, between them 5-8 weaker tertiary nerves with numerous anastomoses. Peduncle short, 5-15 mm long, bracts 3-4, two of them adnate to flower base, broadly ovate, ca. 6 mm long, 5 mm wide, green with purple spots, apex obtuse. Flowers solitary; perianth campanulate, slightly contracted at mouth, 10-12 mm long, shallowly 6-lobed apically; lobes subequal, triangular-ovate, 5-6 mm long and 4-5 mm wide at base, purplish red, reflexed after an-thesis; tube ca. 8 mm high, 10-13 mm across, nearly white, adaxially purplish black at the mouth. Stamens 6, opposite to lobes, inserted at upper 1/3 of perianth tube, filaments horizontal, purplish black, ca. 1.5 mm long, anthers pale yellow, broadly elliptic, ca. 1.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, obtuse at both ends, versatile. Pistil mushroom-shaped, 8-10 mm long, longer than the perianth tube, ovary somewhat enlarged, style cylindric, ca. 2 mm across, not articulate, curved, stigma hemispheric, enlarged, 5-6 mm across, ex-serted, adaxially purplish red, smooth, the central part with

In the course of investigating limestone plants in southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China in 2002, we discovered an unusual erect Aspidistra in Napo Xian, Guangxi, near the border with northern Vietnam. Similar specimens were found in 2008 in Jingxi Xian, Guangxi. The stem was upright to 1 m tall, supported by several stilt roots. Its flower was purplish-red, campanulate with an exserted stigma and was born singly in the middle part of the erect stem. The fruit was densely covered with soft, hooked hairs. Upon careful comparison with all Aspidistra species heretofore known (Lang et al., 1999; Li, 2004; Tillich, 2005, 2008; Tillich and Averyanov, 2008; Hou et al., 2009; Lin et al., 2010, 2011; Xu et al., 2010), we concluded that the plant is a new species, which we describe below.

NEW SPECIES

Aspidistra erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng, sp. nov. ―TYPE: CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Napo Xian (County), alt. 800 m, in a valley on limestone hill, 10 Nov 2002, Yan Liu L0782 (holotype: IBK; isotype: HAST)直立蜘蛛抱蛋 Figures 1, 2

Species nova forma florum A. fungilliformi Y. Wan simi-lis, sed differt stylo leviter curvo, stigmate exserto ex tubo perianthii, lobis perianthii triangulari-ovatis, caule erecto.

*Corresponding author: E-mail: bopeng@sinica.edu.tw.

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Figure 1. Aspidistra erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng. A, Flowering plant; B, Flower bud; C, Flower; D, Flower, half of perianth removed to show stamens and pistil; E, Perianth, dissected to show stamens; F, Stigma, adaxial view; G, Fruit. (Drawn by Shun-Qing He from the holotype)

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Figure 2. Aspidistra erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng. A, Habit; B, C, Flowers; D, Flower, adaxial view; E, Flower, side view; F, G, Flower, dissected showing stamens and pistil; H, Fruit.

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3 radial, fork-tipped or inconspicuous forking lines from center to margin, abaxially white, slightly concaved and undulate at margin. Berry subglobose, ca. 15 mm across, densely covered with soft hooked hairs, style persistent.

Additional specimens examined. CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Napo Xian (County), Bainan Xiang, alt. 840 m, plant sterile when collected, 29 June 2008, Ching-I Peng et al., 21609 (HAST); Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, Jingxi Xian (County), alt. 790 m, 12 Nov 2008, Wei-Bin Xu 08445 (IBK).

Chromosome cytology. Root tips were pretreated in 2 mmol/L 8-hydroxyquinoline at 15-18°C for about 8h, and fixed in 3:1 ethanol-acetic acid solution at about 4°C for overnight. Materials were stained by 2% acetic orcein with 1N hydrochloric acid and observed. Classification of chromosome morphology was based on the position of centromeres, following Levan et al. (1964).

The somatic chromosome number of Aspidistra erecta was determined to be 2n = 38 (Figure 3). Chromosomes at mitotic metaphase showed a trimodal variation in chromosome length. Among the 38 chromosomes, the first two (ca. 8.3-8.5 fim) were longer than the rest; the next 14

Figure 4. Distribution of Aspidistra erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng (★) and A. fungilliformis Y Wan (■) in Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China.

gradually varied (4.3 to 6.7 (m); the remaining 22 shorter chromosomes also gradually varied (1.8-3.6 (m). Irrespective of the chromosome length, 22 (Nos. 1, 2 and 1938 in Figure 3-B), 4 (Nos. 15-18 in Figure 3-B), 12 (Nos. 3-14 in Figure 3-B) had centromeres at the median (m), submedian (sm), and subterminal (st) positions respectively. Secondary constrictions (SC) were observed at the proximal regions of the short arms in two submedian chromosomes (Arrows in Figure 3-A; Nos. 17 and 18 in Figure 3-B). Thus, the karyotype formula of Aspidistra erecta was assignable as 2n = 38 = 22m+4sm^2SC+12st.

Cytological information of 41 species in the genus Aspidistra has been reported earlier (Bogner and Arnautov,2004; Li, 2004; Yamashita and Tamura, 2004; Qiao et al.,2008; Hou et al., 2009, Lin et al., 2010). The majority of the Aspidistra species share several karyomorphologi-cal features (see Lin et al., 2010) in common. Aspidistra erecta is no exception in this regard.

Among the 19 species with 2n = 38, A. elatior (Huang et al., 1997) and A. marginella (Wang et al., 2001) have the same karyotype formula as that of A. erecta. However, of the 38 chromosomes in A. erecta, the eighth and the ninth pairs of chromosomes were submedian (arrowheads and arrows in Figure 3), whereas in A. elatior (Huang et al., 1997: Table 11) and A. marginella (Wang et al., 2001: Table 2), the third and the ninth pairs of chromosomes had their centromeres in the submedian positions. Hence, Aspidistra erecta is karyotypically distinguishable from these two species.

Ecology and Distribution. Aspidistra erecta is only known from Napo Xian and Jingxi Xian, two counties in southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Figure 4) that borders northern Vietnam. It grows in valleys on shaded rocky limestone slopes at 800-850 m altitude.

Figure 3. Somatic chromosomes at mitotic metaphase of Aspidistra erecta (2n = 38, from Peng 21609, HAST). A, Mi-crophotograph. Arrowheads indicate the eighth submedian chromosomes. Arrows indicate the ninth submedian chromosomes with secondary constrictions; B, Somatic chromosomes serially arranged by their chromosome length and the position of centromeres. Scale bar = 5 (im.

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Figure 5. Aspidistra fungilliformis Y. Wan. A, Habit; B, Flowers; C, Flower, side view; D, E, Flower, adaxial view; F, Flower, longitudinally dissected to show stamens and pistil.

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Phenology. Flowering from October to November, fruiting from November to December.

Etymology. The specific epithet 'erecta ' is derived from its upright stem.

Notes. Aspidistra erecta (Figures 1, 2) resembles A. fungilliformis Y. Wan (Wan, 1984, Figure 5) in floral shape, differing in its longer pistil than the perianth tube, curved style, triangular ovate perianth lobes and purplish-red floral color. Furthermore, Aspidistra erecta is markedly distinct from its congeners in having a straight and vertical stem. By contrast, A. fungilliformis differs in its pistil being lower than its perianth tube, its oblong perianth lobes, the white exterior and pale purple interior of its flowers, and its creeping rhizome.

Aspidistra Ker-Gawler is a large genus of ca. 100 species (Tillich, 2008). Previously only three Vietnamese species were known to have vertical shoots, namely A. locii Arnautov & Bogner (Bogner & Arnautov 2004), A. nikolai L.V. Averyanov & H.-J. Tillich (Tillich and Averyanov, 2008) and A. lateralis H.-J. Tillich (Tillich, 2005). Our discovery of another erect Aspidistra is the first and only one of its kind in China. A key to the four Aspidistra species with vertical roots follows.

LITERATURE CITED

Bogner, J. and N. Arnautov. 2004. Aspidistra locii (Convallari-aceae), an unusual new species from Vietnam. Willdenowia 34: 203-208.

Hou, M.F., Y Liu, Y. Kono, and C.-I Peng. 2009. Aspidistra dax-inensis (Ruscaceae), a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China. Bot. Stud. 50: 371-378.

Huang, J.L., L.M. Ma and D.Y. Hong. 1997. Cytotaxonomic studies on the genus Aspidistra II. Acta Phytotax. Sin. 35:14-23.

Lang, K.Y., G.Z. Li, Y. Liu, Y.G. Wei, and R.X. Wang. 1999.

Taxonomic and phytogeographic studies on the genus Aspidistra Ker-Gawl. (Liliaceae) in China. Acta Phytotax. Sin. 37: 468-508.

Levan, A., K. Fredga, and A.A. Sandberg. 1964. Nomenclature for centromeric position on chromosomes. Hereditas 52:

201-220.

Li, G.Z. (ed.) 2004. The Genus Aspidistra. Guangxi Science & Technology Publishing House. Nanning.

Lin, C.R., C.-I Peng, Y. Kono, and Y. Liu, 2010. Aspidistra

obconica, Asparagaceae [Ruscaceae], a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China. Bot. Stud. 51: 263-268.

Lin, C.R. and Y. Liu, 2011. Aspidistra punctatoides sp. nov. (Ruscaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi, China. Nord. J. Bot. 29: 189-193.

Qiao, Q., C.Q. Zhang, Y.P. Ma, and W. Tian. 2008.

Karyotype asymmetry of Aspidistra (Convallarieae, Ruscaceae). Acta

Bot. Yunnan. 30: 565-569.

Tillich, H.J. 2005. A key for Aspidistra (Ruscaceae), including fifteen new species from Vietnam. Feddes Repert. 116: 313338.

Tillich, H.J. 2008. An updated and improved determination key for Aspidistra Ker-Gawl. (Ruscaceae, Monocotyledons). Feddes Repert. 119: 449-462.

Tillich, H.J. and L.V. Averyanov. 2008. Two new species and one new subspecies of Aspidistra Ker-Gawl. (Ruscaceae) from Vietnam. Feddes Repert. 119: S. 37-41.

Wan, Y. 1984. New species of Liliaceae from Guangxi. Bull. Bot. Res. 4: 165-171.

Wang, R.X., G.Z. Li, K.Y. Lang, and Y.G. Wei. 2001.

Karyo- types of eight species of the genus Aspidistra from China. Acta Phytotax. Sin. 39: 51-64.

Wang, R.X., G.Z. Li, K.Y. Lang, Y.G. Wei, and Y. Liu. 2000.

Cytotaxonomy of the genus Aspidistra from China. Guihaia

20: 138-143.

Xu, W.B., Y.S. Huang, X.X. Ye, and Y. Liu. 2010.

Aspidistra connata H. J. Tillich, a newly recorded species of Aspidistra (Ruscaceae) from China. Guihaia 30: 613-615.

Yamashita, J. and M.N. Tamura. 2004. Phylogenetic analyses and chromosome evolution in Convallarieae (Ruscaceae sensu lato), with some taxonomic treatments. J. Plant Res. 117: 363-370.

Key to Aspidistra with vertical stems

1. Peduncle 6-11 cm long; perigone pendulous, te-pals completely connate, leaving a tiny opening of 1-1.5 mm on the summit (Vietnam: Quang Nam) .............................................................................. A. locii

1. Peduncle 0.5-1.5 cm long; perigone horizontal, wide opening, 6-10-lobed.

2. Stem woody, to 120 cm tall; perigone 6-9 cm across; pistil obconic (Vietnam: Thua Thien).........jA. nikolai

2. Stem herbaceous, to 100 cm tall; perigone 1-3 cm across; pistil mushroom-shaped.

3. Stem to 50 cm tall; perigone widely funnel shaped, 2.5-3 cm across; pistil lower than perianth tube; style upright; stigma flat, cream-white (Vietnam: Thua Thien) ......................................... A. lateralis

3. Stem to 100 cm tall; perigone campanulate, 1-1.5 cm across; pistil exserting perianth tube; style curved; stigma hemispherical, red (China: Guangxi) .................................................. A. erecta

Acknowledgments. We thank Fa-Nan Wei (IBK) and Qiner Yang (IBSC) for the Latin diagnosis and Shun-Qing He (IBK) for the fine drawing. This study was supported by Western Program for Fostering Personal Ability, CAS (2007) and Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant No. KSCX2-YW-Z-0912;Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Guangxi Institute of Botany (09015); postdoctoral fellowship from Academia Sinica, Taiwan to Yoshiko Kono; and National Geographic Society Grant # 8358-07 (Botanical Exploration of Limestone Karsts of Southern Guangxi, China) to Ching-I Peng, Yan Liu and Fuo-Fang Chung.

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中國廣西石灰岩地區天門冬科蜘蛛抱蛋屬一新種植物：

直立蜘蛛抱蛋

劉演¹河野淑子² 林春蕊¹ 許為斌¹ 彭鏡毅²

¹廣西壯族自治區中國科學院廣西植物研究所

²中央研究院生物多樣性研究中心植物標本館(HAST)

本文報導特產中國廣西壯族自治區石灰岩地區的蜘蛛抱蛋屬一新種：直立蜘蛛抱蛋(Aspidistra
erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng)。該新種的花形態與傘柱蜘蛛抱蛋類似，但新種的雌蕊長於花被筒，花柱

略彎曲，柱頭外露，明顯可以區別。直立蜘蛛抱蛋另一個重要辨識特徵是具有直立莖，目前已知產
於中國的蜘蛛抱蛋屬六十多種植物中僅此一種的莖直立；自2004年以來，學者在越南陸續發現3種
具直立莖的蜘蛛抱蛋，但與本新種的許多特徵截然不同，本文針對這4種具有直立莖的蜘蛛抱蛋屬
植物製作檢索表以資區別。此外，本文報導直立蜘蛛抱蛋的染色體數目為2n = 38 ，核型公式為2n =
22m+4sm^2SC+12st ，並提供直立蜘蛛抱蛋的線繪圖以及其與傘柱蜘蛛抱蛋的彩色照片與地理分布圖以利
辨識。

關鍵詞：天門冬科；直立蜘蛛抱蛋；傘柱蜘蛛抱蛋；中國；染色體數；廣西；核型；石灰岩植物；新種。



	LIU et al. ― Aspidistra erecta, a new species from Guangxi, China	373

	中國廣西石灰岩地區天門冬科蜘蛛抱蛋屬一新種植物：直立蜘蛛抱蛋

	劉演¹河野淑子² 林春蕊¹ 許為斌¹ 彭鏡毅²

	¹廣西壯族自治區中國科學院廣西植物研究所 ²中央研究院生物多樣性研究中心植物標本館(HAST)

	本文報導特產中國廣西壯族自治區石灰岩地區的蜘蛛抱蛋屬一新種：直立蜘蛛抱蛋(Aspidistra erecta Yan Liu & C.-I Peng)。該新種的花形態與傘柱蜘蛛抱蛋類似，但新種的雌蕊長於花被筒，花柱略彎曲，柱頭外露，明顯可以區別。直立蜘蛛抱蛋另一個重要辨識特徵是具有直立莖，目前已知產於中國的蜘蛛抱蛋屬六十多種植物中僅此一種的莖直立；自2004年以來，學者在越南陸續發現3種具直立莖的蜘蛛抱蛋，但與本新種的許多特徵截然不同，本文針對這4種具有直立莖的蜘蛛抱蛋屬植物製作檢索表以資區別。此外，本文報導直立蜘蛛抱蛋的染色體數目為2n = 38 ，核型公式為2n = 22m+4sm^2SC+12st ，並提供直立蜘蛛抱蛋的線繪圖以及其與傘柱蜘蛛抱蛋的彩色照片與地理分布圖以利辨識。

	關鍵詞：天門冬科；直立蜘蛛抱蛋；傘柱蜘蛛抱蛋；中國；染色體數；廣西；核型；石灰岩植物；新種。