Aspidistra leipingensis Z.B. Ding & R.K. Li, 2024

Ding, Zhong-Biao, Li, Shuang-Long, Li, Ren-Kun, Zeng, Yong, Dun, Chun-Yao & Lin, Chun- Rui, 2024, Aspidistra leipingensis (Asparagaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China, Phytotaxa 672 (1), pp. 115-120 : 116

Aspidistra leipingensis Z.B. Ding & R.K. Li , sp. nov. ( Figs.1 , 2 )

Type: — CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Chongzuo City, Daxin County, Leiping town, on shady reclined slopes, at the foot of the limestone hill, not common, 107°3’ E, 22°38’ N, alt. 290 m, 12 November 2023, Zhong-Biao Ding & Ren-Kun Li 3503 (holotype: HIB!, isotype: BAZI!, IBK!).

Diagnosis: —The new species is similar to A. punctatoides , but differs by its leaf blade 15.1–23.6 cm long, 3.8–6.9 cm wide, petiole 4.8–13.6 cm long, perianth tube 10–12 mm long, perianth lobes 4–6 mm long and 4–5 mm wide at the base, stamens inserted in the lower part of the perianth tube, pistil 9–11 mm long, stigma hemispherical shape, 8–9 mm in diameter, upper surface convex and glabrous.

Description: —Herbs perennial, evergreen. Stem erect, 5.5–30 cm tall. Rhizome creeping, subterete, 3–9 mm thick, covered with scales, nodes dense. Sheathing leaves 2–3, purple-red, 2–10.5 cm long, 1–1.4 cm wide, enveloping base of petiole, becoming black brown when dry, fibrous when withered. Petiole stiffly upright, 4.8–13.6 cm long, 1–4 mm thick, adaxially sulcate, somewhat inflated at base. Leaves solitary, 6–14 mm apart; leaf blade dark green, with yellow-green spots, lanceolate, 15.1–23.6 cm long, 3.8–6.9 cm wide, base cuneate, gradually narrowing into petiole, inequilateral, apex acuminate, margin entire; midvein strongly prominent on abaxial surface, secondary veins prominent, 4 each side. Peduncle decumbent, deep purple-red, sometimes white at base, gradually transiting to purple-red toward inflorescence, 1.4–3.8 cm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter; bracts 5–6, two bracts at the base of perianth broadly ovate, deep purplish-red with pale green spots, 8–13 mm long, 7–9 mm wide. Flowers solitary at the top of the peduncle, campanulate to slightly urceolate, fleshy, slightly 8 lobed apically, lobes triangular, 4–6 mm long and 4–5 mm wide at the base, slightly curved outward, both sides yellowish-green, densely covered with dark purplish red spots in the middle, lobes with two ridges, rising further down, and forming a “U” shape with the ridge of the other lobe. Perianth tube 1–1.2 cm high, 1.1–1.2 cm in diameter, abaxially upper part light yellow, densely spotted deep purplish red, lower part deep purplish red, adaxially deep purple to nearly black. Stamens 8, opposite to lobes, inserted at ca. 2 mm from the base of perianth tube, without filaments, anthers pale yellow, oblong, ca. 2 mm long, ca. 1.2 mm wide, obtuse at both ends, slightly curve. Pistil 9–11 mm long, mushroom cloud-shaped, slightly lower than the perianth mouth, ovary inconspicuous, style 5–6 mm long, cylindrical; stigma hemispherical shape, 4–5 mm high, 8–9 mm in diameter, upper surface convex and glabrous, pale yellow, sometimes slightly speckled purple, with 4 radial, bifurcate lines at center, slightly undulated 8-lobed at margin, lower surface with longitudinal 8-ridged, blackish purple.

Phenology: —The new species was observed flowering from November to December in natural habitat.

Etymology: —The specific epithet ‘ leipingensis ’ is derived from the name of the type locality, Leiping Town, Daxin County, Guangxi, China. The Chinese name is given as ‘ ḛṿDz̊ffifi ’ (Chinese pinyin: léi píng zhī zhū bào dàn).

Distribution and ecology: —The new species is discovered only in the type locality. It grows under broad-leaved evergreen forests, in shaded rocky limestone slopes at elevation 290 m. Living plants are cultivated in West Hubei Arboretum of Enshi Tujia Minority and Miao Minority Autonomous Prefecture Academy of Forestry.

Conservation status: —In the field investigations, Aspidistra leipingensis was only found from the type locality with one populations with about 50 individuals. This populations were distributed in natural reserve, where the habitat was in good condition. Further investigations in the neighbouring areas with similar habitat are needed to give a better understanding of its natural distribution and abundance. Thus, following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2022), it is provisionally assessed as Data Deficient (DD).

Similar species: — Aspidistra leipingensis is similar to A. punctatoides Yan Liu & C. R. Lin in Lin & Liu (2011: 189, Fig. 3) with the lanceolate leaf blade, but differs by its leaf blade 15.1–23.6 cm (vs. 15–27 cm) long, 3.8–6.9 cm (vs. 4.5–7.5 cm) wide, petiole 4.8–13.6 cm (vs. 11–26 cm) long, perianth tube 10–12 mm (vs. 5–7 mm) long, perianth lobes 4–6 mm (vs. 5–6 mm) long and 4–5 mm (vs. 3–4 mm) wide at the base, stamens inserted in the lower (vs. middle) part of the perianth tube, pistil 9–11 mm (vs. 8 mm) long, stigma hemispherical shape (vs. peltate), 8–9 mm (vs. 10 mm) in diameter, upper surface convex (vs. flat) and glabrous (vs. densely papillate). A detailed morphological comparison between the two species is provided in Table 1.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aspidistra leipingensis sp. nov.: (A) Flowering plant; (B) Flower, side view; (C) Flower, apical view; (D) Flower dissection to show pistil and stamens; (E) Stigma, apical view; (F) Flower dissection to show stamens; (G) Pistil. (Drawn by Yi-Fan Li).

FIGURE 2. Aspidistra leipingensis sp. nov.: (A) Habit; (B) Flower and bud; (C) Individual plant; (D) Flower; (E) Flower, apical view; (F) Flower, side view; (G) Flower dissection to show pistil and stamens; (H) Flower dissection to show stamens; (I) Pistil; (J) Stigma, top view; (K) Stigma, side view. (Photos by Ren-Kun Li).