Erythranthe szechuanensis (Y.Y.Pai) G.L.Nesom, Phytoneuron

K., Chowlu, A., Shenoy & Ray, A., 2024, ErytHrantHE sZECHUanEnsis (Phrymaceae): a new addition to Indian Flora, Rheedea 34 (4), pp. 221-224 : 222

Erythranthe szechuanensis (Y.Y.Pai) G.L.Nesom, Phytoneuron 39: 40. 2012. Mimulus szechuanensis

Y.Y.Pai, Contr. Inst. Bot. Natl. Acad. Peiping2: 119.

1934. Type: CHINA, Szechwan, Mt. Omei, Omeihsien , c. 1676–1828 m, 08.10.1928, W. P. Fang 2646

(iso PE [PE00031329 digital image!], E [E00088055

digital image!]). Fig. 1

Perennial herbs, 10–30 cm tall. Stems erect, quadrangular, narrowly 4-winged sparsely villous rooting from nodes less branched, sparsely pubescent. Leaves opposite, epetiolate or shortly petiolate (c. 0.2–1 cm), pubescent; lamina ovate to ovate-triangular, 2–3.5 × 1.3–2.2 cm, eglandular, green above, green or reddish green below, pinnately veined, slightly villose on vein, base cuneate, apex acute, margin few toothed, teeth tip blunt. Flowers axillary, solitary in upper leaf axils; pedicel pubescent, 1–1.5 cm long, exceeding the calyx in fruit, 1.5–2.2 cm long; bracteoles absent. Calyx cylindrical, distinctly asymmetric, 0.8–1.1 cm long in flower, c. 2 cm long in fruit, 0.6 – 0.8 mm broad, ciliate, 5-dentate, narrowly winged, the winged ribs slightly villose, apex apiculate, the lobes spine-like, with the upper the largest. Corolla zygomorphic, bilabiate, glabrous outside, deep yellow to golden yellow with a red-dotted mouth and throat; tube c. 3 cm, yellow to golden yellow, much longer than calyx, on the lower side inside forming a palate of two rounded longitudinal ridges extending onto the base of the lower lip covered by yellow clavate hairs glabrous otherwise; lips otherwise glabrous on inner face, the lower lip forward directed, as long as the reflexed upper lip. Stamens 4, didynamous, appressed to adaxial side of corolla, attached near base of corolla tube, the posterior (adaxial) stamens c. 0.7 cm long, the anterior (abaxial) stamens c. 1.2 cm long; filaments yellow, puberulent; anthers deeply included in corolla tube, glabrous, white. Ovary cylindrical, c. 0.4 cm long, c. 0.15 cm wide, light green; style filiform, c. 0.9 cm long, white; stigma bilamellate, c. 0.1 cm long, white, apically fringed. Capsules narrowly ellipsoid, 0.8–1.2 cm long, included in the persistent calyx, somewhat compressed, thin walled. Seeds numerous, ovoid, golden yellow to brown, glabrous to few haired, seed coat almost smooth, but obscurely reticulate in macroscopic view.

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering from August to September, fruiting from September to October.

Habitat & ecology: The plants grow on the road sides, in evergreen broadleaved forests, at an elevation of c. 1900m.

Distribution: China, Nepal, India (Arunachal Pradesh, West Kameng).

Specimens examined: INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, West Kameng, Mandla , 27°19´19.52´´N &

92°15´27.89´´E, 1895 m, 20.09.2023. K. Chowlu

41412 (ARUN).

Figures

Fig.1. ErythraNthE SZEChuaNENSIS (Y.Y.Pai) G.L.NeSom.: a–c. Habit; d. Shoot With floWerS; e. FloWer–front vieW; f. Corolla Split open–vieW from inSide; g. Leaf–adaxial SurfaCe; h. Leaf–abaxial SurfaCeS; i & j. ArtifiCially opened Calyx, vieWS from outSide and from inSide; k. GynoeCium; l. DehiSCed CapSule; m. SeedS (PhotoS by K.ChoWlu & A.Shenoy).