Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. (2003) 44: 73-75

Li — A new species of Opithandra (Gesneriaceae)

A new species of Opithandra (Gesneriaceae) from Guizhou, China

Zhen-Yu Li*

Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiangshan, Nanxincun 20, Beijing 100093, China

(Received October 8, 2001; Accepted February 19, 2002)

Abstract. A new species, Opithandra wentsaii Z. Y. Li, is described and illustrated. The discovery of the new species increases the number of species in the genus to eleven.

Keywords: China; Gesneriaceae; New species; Opithandra wentsaii.

Introdution

Opithandra was established by Burtt (1956) based on the one species (i.e., O. primuloides (Miq.) Burtt) which was transferred from Boea. Recently, the genus was expanded to include ten species (Wang, 1982, 1987, 1992; Wang et al., 1998). Of these, O. primuloides is endemic to Japan (W. Hondo, Shikoku, Kiushiu), with nine remaining species restricted to China and distributed in Guangxi (Dongxing, Daxin, Shangsi), Guangdong (Guoyao, Zengcheng, Xinfeng, Shantou), Fujian (Nanjing), Jiangxi (Longnan), Hunan (Qianyang), Guizhou (Jianhe) and Chongqing (Wuxi, formerly as the "Ta-lin-hsien" of E. Sichuan). The distribution pattern of this genus was cited by Li (1996). Except for O. sinohenryi (Chun) Burtt, O. primuloides (Miq.) Burtt and O. dalzielii (W. W. Smith) Burtt, all the species are known only from the type collections.

Recently Dr. Yi-Bo Luo found a wild plant of the Gesneriaceae during his field work on the Orchidaceae in Guizhou Province. He collected three specimens and took photographs of this plant. A further study reveals that it is a new species, which is readily distinguished from other species of Opithandra by having a puberulous ring inside the corolla tube.

Opithandra wentsaii Z. Y. Li, sp. nov. (Sect. Briggsioides W. T. Wang)—TYPE: China, Guizhou, Taijiang, Nanyan, ad scopulos in vallis, alt. 860 m, 12 May 2001, Yi-Bo Luo 531 (holotype, PE; isotypes, PE). Figure 1

Herba perennis, acaulescens. Rhizoma teres, 2-5.5 cm longum, 2-3.5 mm diam. Folia basalia, 8-40, dense albo-strigosa; petioli 3-7 cm longi, 1-1.5 cm lati: laminae in sicco chartaceae, ovatae vel ellipticae, 2.8-6 cm longae, 1.1-2.8 cm latae, apice acutae, basi oblique cuneatae vel attenuatae, margine serratae vel dentato-serratae, nervis

lateralibus utrinsecus 4-6 inconspicuis. Scapi 2-14, 10-20 cm alti, subpatenter brunneo-hirtelli; cymae subumbelliformes 1-4-florae; bracteae 2, oppositae lanceolato-lineares, 3-5 mm longae, dense albo-strigosae, margine integrae; pedicelli 1-4.2 cm longi subpatenter brunneo-strigosi. Calyx 4.5-5 mm longus, 5-sectus, segmentis lineari-lanceolatis 4-4.5 mm longis ca. 1 mm latis apice obtusiusculis extus strigosis intus glabris. Corolla lilacina, 2.8-3 cm longa, extus pilosella, fauce atropurpureo-maculata, ad 13 mm supra basin corollae pilorum annulo 5 mm lato praedita; tubus infundibuliformis 2.2-2.4 cm longus ore ca. 6 mm diam.; labium posticum ca. 3 mm longum prope basin 2-fidum, lobis orbicularibus, labium anticum 7-8 mm longum infra medium 3-fidum, lobis oblongis 4-5 mm longis. Stamina 2 postica glabra, filamentis ad ca. 7 mm supra corollae basin insertis anguste linearibus 7-8 mm longis, antheris reniformi-ovatis 0.9 mm longis 1.5 mm latis. Staminodia 2 antica, ad 4.5 mm supra corollae basin inserta, anguste linearia, 5.5 mm longa, glabra. Discus cupuliformis l mm altus. Pistillum glabrum, ovario lineari 10-11 mm longo ca. 1 mm lato, stylo ca. 3.5 mm longo, stigmate 2 parvo punctiformi, late ovato 0.6 mm longo.

Herb perennial, acaulescent. Rhizome terete, 2-5.5 cm long, 2-3.5 mm diam. Leaves basal, 8-40, densely white strigose; petiole 3-7 cm long, 1-1.5 mm wide; blade ovate to elliptic, 2.8-6 cm long, 1.1-2.8 cm wide, chartaceous when dry, apex acute, base oblique, cuneate or attenuate, margin serrate to dentate-serrate; lateral veins 4-6 on each side of midrib, inconspicuous. Scape 2-14, 10-20 cm high, nearly spreading brown-hirtellous; cyme subumbellate, 1-4-flowered; bracts 2, opposite, lanceolate-linear, 3-5 mm long, densely white-strigose, margin entire; pedicel 1-4.2 cm long, nearly spreading brown-hirtellous. Calyx 4.5-5 mm long, 5-sect, segments linear-lanceolate, 4-4.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, apex minutely obtuse, outer surface strigose, inner surface glabrous. Corolla 2.8-3 cm long, lilac, the throat marked with darker purple blots, outer surface sparsely puberulous, with a puberulous ring 5 mm wide inside the corolla ca. 13 mm above its base; tube

*E-mail: lzy5203@163.com

Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica, Vol. 44, 2003

Figure 1. Opithandra wentsaii Z.Y. Li. A, Habit; B, Opened corolla showing stamens and staminodes; C, Calyx, disc and pistil (with stigma enlargement). (Luo 531)

Li — A new species of Opithandra (Gesneriaceae)

funnelform, 2.2-2.4 cm long, ca. 6 mm diam. at mouth; upper lip ca. 3 mm long, 2-sect, lobes orbicular; lower lip 7-8 mm long, 3-lobed, lobes oblong, 4-5 mm long. Stamens 2, adaxial, glabrous; filaments adnate to ca. 7 mm above corolla base, narrowly linear, 7-8 mm long; anthers coherent at apex, reniform-ovoid, 0.9 mm long, 1.5 mm late. Staminodes 2, abaxial, adnate to 4.5 mm above corolla base, narrowly linear, 5.5 mm long, glabrous. Disc cupular, 1 mm high. Pistil glabrous; ovary linear, 10-11 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; style ca. 3.5 mm long; stigmas 2, broadly ovate, 0.6 mm long.

Habitat. Growing in undisturbed evergreen forest patches on shady cliff in the sandstone hills, alt. 860 m, flowering occurs at least in May.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Professor Wen-Tsai Wang (1926-), taxonomist at Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has devoted over 50 years to the study of Chinese Ranunculaceae, Gesneriaceae, Boraginaceae, Urticaceae, Vitaceae and many other families.

Relationship. According to Wang's subdivision (Wang, 1987, 1992), O. wentsaii Z. Y. Li is referred to Sect. Briggsioides W. T. Wang. It is most closely related to O. cinerea W. T. Wang (Wang, 1982; Wang et al., 1998), but differs from the latter by the following characters: calyx segments linear-lanceolate (triangular in O. cinerea); corolla tube 2.2-2.4 cm long, abaxially swollen (vs. 1.2-1.5 cm long and not swollen); an eglandular-puberulous ring inside the corolla tube (vs. glandular-puberulent below

adaxial lip; filaments glabrous (vs. sparsely puberulent); staminode 5.5 mm long (vs. 2-2.5 mm long); disc cupular (vs. ringlike).

Acknowledgements. The author would like to thank Dr. Yi-Bo Luo for his assistance in field work; Professor Wen-Tsai Wang for checking the specimens and reviewing the Latin description; Professors De-Yuan Hong, Qin-Er Yang and Ching-I Peng for critical comments; Mr. Ying-Bao Sun for preparation of the drawing. The author is grateful for detailed reviews of the manuscript by Mr. Brian L. Burtt and Dr. Laurence E. Skog. This work was supported by the State Key Basic Research and Development Plan (No. G2000046801-1) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 39870056).

Literature Cited

Burtt, B.L. 1956. An independent genus for Oreocharis primuloides. Baileya 4(4): 160-162, fig. 46.

Li, Z.Y. 1996. The geographical distribution of the subfamily Cyrtandroideae Endl. emend. Burtt (Gesneriaceae). Acta Phytotax. Sin. 34(4): 341-360.

Wang, W.T. 1982. Notulae de Gesneriaceis Sinensibus (IV). Bull. Bot. Res. Harbin 2(4): 37-64.

Wang, W.T. 1987. Classificatio specierum Opithandrae (Gesneriaceae). Bull. Bot. Res. Harbin 7(2): 1-16.

Wang, W.T. 1992. Notulae de Gesneriaceis Sinensibus (X). Guihaia 12(4): 289-300.

Wang, W.T., K.Y. Pan, Z.Y. Li, A.L. Weitzman, and L.E. Skog. 1998. Gesneriaceae. In C.Y. Wu and P.H. Raven (eds.), Flora of China, Vol. 18. Science Press, Beijing and Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, pp. 244-401.