Aspidistra zinaidae, Averyanov & Tillich, 2012

Nguyen, Cuong Huu, Duong, Nam Van, Bui, Doi The, Tran, Hung The, Phan, Quyet Thanh, Le, Vu Khanh, Nguyen, Ly Van, Maisak, Tatiana V. & Averyanov, Leonid V., 2025, Aspidistra nigrescens (Asparagaceae, Convallarioideae), new species of “ Aspidistra zinaidae group ” from central Vietnam, Phytotaxa 701 (1), pp. 115-120 : 119

Key for the species of Aspidistra zinaidae “group”

1 Pistil cylindrical, drumstick-shaped, hardly inflated at the base and apex; anthers without connective ...........................................2

- Pistil mushroom shaped, style much narrower than stigma; anthers with fleshy, white connective..................................................3

2 Leaves distant on rhizome throughout, leaf blade elliptic, 3–6.5 cm wide; perigone tube rather campanulate, 5–5.5 mm long; perigone lobes adaxially dark purple, ovate oblong, distinctly longer than wide; filaments 0.8–1 mm long, 0.7–0.8 mm across, connivent forming annular structure; anthers bean-shaped, 1.8–2.2 mm long and wide; stigma shortly obpyramidal, flat or slightly convex at apex, 2.8–3.2 mm across; fruits smooth, 0.7–1 cm in diameter................................................................... A. heterocarpa

- Leaves aggregated at rhizome apex, leaf blade lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, 2.6–3.4 cm wide; perigone tube rather urceolate, 6.5–8.5 mm long; perigone lobes adaxially black, broadly triangular sagittate, as long as wide; filaments 0.5–0.6 mm long, 0.6–0.7 mm across, separate, the tube wall between them appearing as black stripes; anthers oblong, 2.5–3 mm long, about 1 mm wide; stigma capitate, distally hemispheric, 2.4–2.6 mm across; fruits finely rugose, 1–1.7 cm in diameter......................... A. nigrescens

3 Rhizome creeping or distally ascending, with 1–2 flowers; peduncles erect to ascending; perigone lobes finely erose at the upper third, outside with 5 nerves; pistil upcurved .......................................................................................................................... A. erosa

- Rhizome short, suberect to erect, with numerous flowers; peduncles more or less horizontal; perigone lobes smooth at the margin, outside with 3 nerves; pistil straight...................................................................................................................................................4

4 Peduncles 0.5–1.5 cm long; flower in obliquely erect position; perigone tube 7–9 mm long and wide; perigone lobes revolute...... ......................................................................................................................................................................................... A. multiflora

- Peduncles 2–4 cm long; flower in horizontal position; perigone tube 4–6 mm long, 4–5 mm wide; perigone lobes erect to hardly spreading............................................................................................................................................................................. A. zinaidae