Aspidistra corniculata Vislobokov, 2019

Vislobokov, Nikolay A., Kuznetsov, Andrey N., Kuznetsova, Svetlana P. & Kuzmicheva, Evgeniya A., 2019, Aspidistra corniculata (Asparagaceae, Nolinoideae), a new species from Vietnam, Phytotaxa 397 (1), pp. 125-128 : 125-127

Aspidistra corniculata Vislobokov , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Diagnosis: Aspidistra corniculata is morphologically similar to A. marasmioides and A. multiflora , but differs in longer partly reddish purple filaments with connective appendages, in reddish purple perigone tube and narrowly lanceolate leaf blade.

Type:— VIETNAM, B ắc Giang province, SƠn Ðộng district, 6 km South-West from Thanh SƠn Town, Tây Yên T ử National Forest, in the forest, near bank of river, 21˚ 10.627’ N, 106˚ 43.242’ E, alt. 231 m, 21 October 2018, N. A. Vislobokov 18089 (holotype: MW 0595713, isotype: M).

Plant perennial, evergreen, herbaceous, rhizomatous, glabrous. Rhizome creeping, epigeous, with short internodes, Ø 2.9 – 7.3 (4.7) mm. Roots light brown, Ø 1.7 –2.2 (1.9) mm. Rhizomes with regularly repeating units, each comprising a few distichous cataphylls followed by a foliage leaf. Cataphylls cuneate, oblong, 5–12.1 (8) cm long, 5.6–7.2 (6.4) mm wide. Leaves petiolate, 31–62 (45.8) cm long. Petiole green, adaxially sulcate, 2–25.5 (12) cm long, Ø 1.7 –3.1 (2.2) mm. Lamina green, narrowly lanceolate, base narrowly cuneate and apex acuminate, 15.5–41 (26.6) cm long, 1.5–3.7 (2.8) cm wide, with midvein prominent at abaxial surface. Peduncle reddish purple, arising horizontally or slightly upwards, 1.5–4.9 (2.6) cm long, Ø 1.2 –2.3 (1.8) mm, with 3–5 reddish purple to dark red mottled, broadly ovate, 6.4–9.9 (8) mm long, 4.6–8.2 (6.5) mm wide (being flattened) distichously arranged bracts. Flower solitary at the top of the peduncle. Perigone cup-shaped, 9.5–17.8 (12.6) mm long, Ø 15.6 –23.5 (19.1) mm; tube outside reddish purple or white with reddish purple specks, inside reddish purple, white at the bottom of both sides, 7.6–12.3 (9.5) mm long, Ø 9.5 –13.3 (11) mm; lobes 6, outside reddish purple or white with reddish purple specks, inside reddish purple, broadly ovate, 6–9.1 (7.2) mm long, 4.6–8.7 (6.5) mm wide, outward curved, bearing 4 prominent longitudinal keels on the adaxial surface. Stamens 6, 2.8–4.3 (3.5) mm long, inserted at the middle of the perigone tube; filaments basally reddish purple, apically white, cylindrical, 1.2–2.2 (1.6) mm long, spreading horizontally or slightly downward; anthers 1.2–1.8 (1.6) mm long, 1.2–1.8 (1.5) mm wide, pollen sacs attached to connectives at lower side, connectives with appendages. Pistil white, mushroom-shaped, 6.9–8.8 (7.8) mm long; style cylindrical, 3.6–5 (4.3) mm long, Ø 1.1 –1.8 (1.5) mm; stigma hemispherical, 2.6–4.2 (3.5) mm thick, Ø 5.2 –7 (6.1) mm, with slightly wavy margin. Ovary inconspicuous, superior, 3-locular. Fruits unknown.

Etymology:—The specific epithet refers to the hornlike connective appendages of stamens.

Distribution and ecology:—The species is known only from Tây Yên Tử National Forest, where it grows along the river bank.

Phenology: — Aspidistra corniculata flowers in late October.

Taxonomic relationships: —In flower structure A. corniculata is similar to A. marasmioides Tillich (2005: 321) and A. multiflora Averyanov & Tillich (2015: 368) , but differs for the longer filaments (1.6 mm vs. 1 mm or less) with connective appendages, for the colour of the perigone tube (reddish purple, white at the bottom vs. white or white with purple stripes) and of the filaments (partly reddish purple vs. completely white); A. corniculata is also strongly different in shape of leaf blade (narrowly lanceolate vs. elliptic) and shoot morphology (creeping rhizome with short internodes vs. widely creeping slender rhizome of A. marasmioides and ascending or erect rhizome of A. multiflora ). Aspidistra corniculata also resembles A. lubae Averyanov & Tillich (2014: 755) and A. zinaidae Averyanov & Tillich (2012: 8) , but differs from these species in shoot habit (creeping rhizome vs. erect stem), in colour of the perigone (reddish purple vs. partly white or greenish), and structure of stamens (elongate filaments spreading horizontally or slightly downward vs. sessile anthers).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Picture of Aspidistra corniculata: A) whole plant in its natural habitat; b) flower with whitish perigone arising from the rhizome; c) flowering plant; d) rhizome with reddish purple flowers from the top down; e) rhizome with reddish purple flower from lateral view; f) particular of the flower, lateral view); g) flower, longitudinal section; h) flower, inner part; i) flower, inner part without gynoecium; j) flower, lateral view; k) gynoecium, from below; l) gynoecium, lateral view; m) perigone with stamen. Illustration by E.A. Kuzmicheva.