Brassaiopsis nhatrangensis (Wen & Lowry Ii, 2006)

Wen, Jun & Lowry Ii, Porter P., 2006, New species and new combinations in Brassaiopsis (Araliaceae) from Vietnam and southwestern China, Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 181-190 : 189-190

Brassaiopsis nhatrangensis

(N.S.Bui) J.Wen & Lowry, comb. et stat. nov.

Brassaiopsis ficifolia Dunn var. nhatrangensis Bui , Adansonia , sér. 2, 6: 445 (1966). — Type: Vietnam, Khanh Hoa Prov. [Annam], km 25 route de Nha Trang à Ninh Hoa, 750 m, 17.X.1923, fl., Poilane 8243 (holo-, P!; iso-, P!, TCD).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Vietnam. Nha Trang Prov. [Annam], Massif de la Mère et l’Enfant, 400 m, 4.XI.1922, fl., Poilane 5015 ( P) .

DESCRIPTION

Shrub 0.8-3 m tall, andromonoecious, stem grayish brown, sparsely covered with scattered conical prickles 2.5-6 mm long. Leaves simple, 5-3-lobed, the sinuses reaching 1/2 to 2/3 to the base, stipules adnate in lower portion to the petiole, free portions narrowly triangular, 3-4 mm long, 1.5- 2 mm wide, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, leaf blade 15-25 cm long, 13-24 cm wide, sparsely stellate above, densely ferrugineous stellate below when young, glabrescent, lobes elliptic to slightly ovate, 5-21 cm long, 3.5-7 cm wide, primary veins 3-7, secondary and tertiary veins prominent on both surfaces, base truncate to subcordate, margin serrate in apical 2/3, the teeth c. 0.3 mm long, entire in basal 1/3, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 8- 24 cm long, glabrescent. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, slender, sparsely to moderately ferrugineous stellate, primary axis 8-12 cm long, c. 3 mm in diam. at base, secondary axes 5-7, 4- 5.5 cm long at anthesis, each bearing a terminal umbel of bisexual flowers and 1-2(-3) lateral umbels of apparently mostly male flowers, terminal umbel 1.2-1.5 cm in diam., with 15-25 flowers, peduncles of the lateral umbels 0.3-0.7 cm long, lateral umbels 0.5-1 cm in diam. in bud, with nearly as many flowers, bracts persistent, narrowly keelshaped, 12-15 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, ferrugineous, pedicels inarticulate, stellate, 5-6 mm long, bracteoles subtending pedicels narrowly triangular, 1.5-2 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, persistent. Sepals 5, triangular, 1-1.3 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, petals 5, ovate-triangular, 2.5-3 mm long, 2-2.2 mm wide, stamens 5, filaments 3-3.5 mm long, anthers oblong, 1.2-1.3 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, ovary 2-locular, oblate at anthesis, black in dry material, styles united, stigmas inconspicuous, disc slightly rounded. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

Brassaiopsis nhatrangensis superficially resembles B. ficifolia of southwestern China, northern Vietnam and northern Thailand, but can be distinguished by its truncate to subcordate (vs. deeply cordate) leaf base, persistent (vs. caducous) inflorescence bracts, narrowly triangular and ferrugineous bracteoles subtending the flowers (vs. lanceolate, glabrous and ciliate), ferrugineous (vs. grayish) indument on the inflorescence, and undivided (vs. bifid) stigmas. Both species are small shrubs in evergreen forests with coriaceous leaves that are deeply 3-5-lobed and a slender terminal inflorescence. Brassaiopsis nhatrangensis likewise resembles B. triloba from southwestern China and northern Vietnam, but differs in having coriaceous to subcoriaceous (vs. papyraceous) leaves whose margin is serrate in the apical portion and entire in the basal 1/3 (vs. ciliate throughout in B. triloba ).

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Nha Trang Province in southern Vietnam; 400 m.

PHENOLOGY

Flowering in mid-October to early November.