Piper chiangdaoense Suwanp. & Chantar., 2011

Suwanphakdee, C. & Chantaranothai, P., 2011, A new species and three taxonomic changes in Piper (Piperaceae) from Thailand, Blumea 56 (3), pp. 235-239 : 235

1. Piper chiangdaoense Suwanp. & Chantar. , sp. nov. — Fig. 1–3

Affinis Piper lonchites sed foliis cordatis subtus velutinis, inflorescentiis et infructescencetiis brevioribus, fructibus minoribus differt. — Typus: T. Smitinand, M. E. D. Poore & R. G. Robbins 7806 (holo BKF; iso E), Thailand, Chiang Mai, Doi Chiangdao Wildlife Sanctuary , 10 Nov. 1962 .

Woody climber, dioecious, nodes swollen with climbing roots, terminal shoot velutinous. Leaves with petiole 1–1.5 cm long, velutinous; stipules hood-like, lanceolate, caducous; lamina subcoriaceous, broadly ovate, asymmetric, 2.5–3.5 by 3.5–4.5 cm, base cordate or rarely oblique or rounded, apex acute or rarely rounded, margin undulate, upper surface puberulous, lower surface velutinous; venation pinnate with 3 pairs of veins from basal third of midrib. Inflorescence a terminal or leaf-opposed catkin, pendulous, cylindric, yellowish green; rachis hairy, with dense flowers; floral bract glabrous with a c. 0.05 mm long stalk, bract-head peltate, c. 0.1 mm diam margin entire. Male inflorescence 3–4 by 0.1–0.2 cm; peduncle

1 Applied Taxonomic Research Center, Department of Biology , Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand ;

e-mail: [e-mail].

corresponding author e-mail: [e-mail].

1–1.5 cm long, pilose. Male flower: stamens 4–6; filament very short and basally swollen; anther 2-valved and slightly exserted at anthesis, c. 0.08 mm diam, dehiscence lateral. Female inflorescence 2–4 by 0.1–0.2 cm; peduncle 1–2 cm long. Female flower: ovary ± elliptic, stigma star-shaped, 3–5-lobed, 1–1.5 mm diam, hairy. Infructescence 3–5 by 0.8–1 cm, pendulous, cylindric; peduncle 1–2 cm long. Fruit free, sessile, ± elliptic, 2–3 by 1–2 mm, dense or well-spaced on rachis, base rounded, apex acute with persistent stigma and floral bract.

Distribution — Northern Thailand (Doi Chiangdao, Chiang- mai).

Habitat & Ecology — Lower montane forest,at 1500–2175 m altitude.

Phenology — Flowering: May; fruiting: June.

Note — Piper chiangdaoense is similar to P. lonchites Schult. but differs in having a cordate leaf which is velutinous on the lower surface, a shorter inflorescence and a smaller infructescence and fruits. The differences in character are shown in Table 1.

Figures

Fig. 1 a–c: Piper chiangdaoense Suwanp. & Chantar. a. Plant habit; b. portion of male inflorescence; c. infructescence. — d–f: Piper trichostigma (Chaveer. & Sudmoon) Suwanp. & Chantar.: d. male inflorescences; e. floral bracts and stamens; f. infructescences.

Fig. 2 Type specimen of Piper chiangdaoense Suwanp. & Chantar. (T. Smitinand et al. 7806, BKF).

Fig. 3 Piper chiangdaoense Suwanp. & Chantar. a. Branch with infructescences; b. male inflorescence; c. portion of male inflorescence; d. stamen; e, f. floral bract (top and side views); g. fruit; h. ovary with stigma (a: T. Smitinand et al. 7806 (BKF); b–f: S. Watthana 1266 (QBG)). — Drawn by Orathai Kerdkaew.