Cymbidium daweishanense G.Q.Zhang & Z.J.Liu, 2018

Zhang, Guo-Qiang, Chen, Gui-Zhen, Liu, Zhong-Jian & Lan, Si-Ren, 2018, Cymbidium daweishanense (Orchidaceae; Epidendroideae), a new species from China: evidence from morphological and molecular analyses, Phytotaxa 374 (3), pp. 249-256 : 254-256

Cymbidium daweishanense G.Q.Zhang & Z.J.Liu , sp. nov. (*OiNJ±) ( Figs. 4 , 5 )

Type:— CHINA. Yunnan Province (ȓffl): 1200–1400 m, trees and rocks at forest margins and in forest. 14 December 2015, Liu 8663 (holotype: NOCC).

This new species is similar to C. erythraeum . They both have distichous, lorate leaves, a slightly arcuate column and a trilobed lip. However, this new species differs from C. erythraeum by its lip free from basal margins of column, smaller flowers and glabrous column with many purple blotches.

Terrestrial herbs, 45–60 cm tall. Pseudobulbs ovoid, bilaterally compressed, 2.0–4.0 × 1.5–2.0 cm, enclosed in leaf bases. Leaves 5–11, distichous, lorate, 40.0–62.0 × 0.7–1.1 cm, apex acute, articulate 4–7 cm from base. Inflorescence a raceme with 9–13 flowers arising from within sheaths at base of pseudobulb, suberect and arching, 60–80 cm, brownish. Flower bracts 7–9, leaf-like, 3–4 × 3–4 mm, apex acute, lanceolate, 9.0–14.0 × 0.6–1.4 cm. Pedicel and ovary 3.0– 4.5 cm. Flowers 4.5–6.0 cm in diameter, fragrant. Sepals and petals pale greenish yellow, with 6–8 reddish brown longitudinal stripes and reddish brown blotches. Lip white to yellow, lateral lobes purple-red, midlobe with purple red blotch; dorsal sepal narrowly obovate, oblong, 3.3–3.6 × 0.5–0.9 cm; lateral sepals slightly falcate, 2.8–3.2 × 0.5–0.8 cm; petals falcate, 3.4–3.6 × 0.3–0.6 cm, base slightly contracted, ligulate; lip trilobed, recurved, with white pubescence, subelliptic ovate in outline 3.3–3.5 × 2.0– 2.2 cm, with 2 pubescent longitudinal lamellae extending from base to base of midlobe; side lobes erect, midlobe cordate to reniform, slightly recurved, base of lip free to base of column; column 2.5–2.7 × 0.3–0.5 cm, arcuate, with purple spots adaxially, pale yellow abaxially; pollinia 2, with cleft, subtriangular. Capsules fusiform-ellipsoid, 38–52 × 22–33 mm.

Etymology:— Named for the area in Yunnan Province where the species was found, derived from the Chinese daweishan .

Phenology:— Flowering November–December.

Distribution:— Yunnan Province, China.

Habitat:— Trees and rocks at forest margins and in forest.

Conservation status:— We found several populations around 1200–1400 m. It is at this time an endemic species, known only distributed from Yunnan Province, China.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Cymbidium daweishanense.A. Flowering plant. B. Flower, front view. C. Flower, side view. D. Dorsal sepal, petal and lateral sepal. E. Lip. F. Pollinarium. Drawn by Li-Jun Chen.

FIGURE 5. Cymbidium daweishanense. A. Flowering plant. B. Flower, front view. C. Flower, side view. D. Column E-F. Pollinarium. Photographs by Wen-Hui Rao.