Flemingia sootepensis Craib (1911: 43)

Do, Truong Van & Gao, Xin-Fen, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the genus Flemingia (Leguminosae) from Indo-Chinese floristic region, Phytotaxa 429 (1), pp. 1-38 : 25-26

13. Flemingia sootepensis Craib (1911: 43) . Flemingia macrophylla var. sootepensis (Craib) Niyomdham (1992: 343) . Lectotype (designated by Gavade et al. 2017):— THAILAND. Chieng Mai: Doi Sootep, 16 January 1910, A.F.G.Kerr 934 (K-000980302!; isolectotype, BM-000958671!, BM-000958672!, C-10021947!, E-00157794!, K-000980303!, P-00709078! and TCD-0016124!)

Erect shrubs, 1.5–2 m tall, with branched stem; young branches triangular, densely silky hairy; mature branches terete.

Petiole 3.5–7 cm long, distinctly winged, gland-dotted beneath, sparsely silky hairy; petiolules 3–6 mm long, hairy, glandular. Stipules lanceolate, 12–18 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, fused at young stage, splitting at maturity, acuminate with equal tips many nerved, densely silky hairs, caducous. Leaves digitately 3-foliolate; leaflets linear to lanceolate, narrow, 11–22 cm long, 2.5–6.5 cm wide, the terminal leaflet cuneate at base, lateral leaflet oblique at base, margin ciliate, apex acuminate or mucronate, adaxially sparsely hairy, abaxially glabrous, except on veins, gland-dotted; glands orange-red. Inflorescence racemose, axillary; 3–6 racemes in a cluster; inflorescence axes 4–10 cm long, longer than petioles. Flowers 9–10 mm long, pedicellate, bracteate; pedicel 1–1.5 mm long, hairy; bracts lanceolate-ovate, 4.5–7 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, many nerved, hairy. Calyx 7–8 mm long, hairy, gland-dotted on outer surface; calyx tube 1–1.5 mm long, campanulate, hairy; calyx lobes lanceolate, subequal, 6–6.5 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, hairy, many nerved, gland-dotted. Corolla pale green with pink striations; standard elliptic, 7–8 mm long, 5.5–6 mm wide, apex slightly pointed, glabrous; claw 1.5 mm long, auricled; auricles 2; wings oblong, 7 mm long, 2 mm wide; claw 2 mm long, auricled; keel falcate, 8 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, fused at apex; claw 2–2.5 mm long, auricled. Ovary oblong, 2 mm long, 1 mm diam., gland-dotted, hairy; ovules 2; styles 4–5 mm long, glabrous, swollen at middle; stigma globose, hairy. Pods turgid, 16 mm long, 6 mm diam., beaked, slightly septate between seeds or not, tomentose, densely gland-dotted; beak less than 1 mm long; glands orange-red, withering post maturity. Seeds 2, rounded, brown, ca. 3 mm diam.

Iconography citation: — Gavade et al. (2017: 284), figure 1.

Ecology and phenology: — Flemingia sootepensis grows along the road sides and hill slopes. It is also found in semi-evergreen forests. Flowering and fruiting from January to March.

Distribution: — Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, new to China.

Notes: — Flemingia sootepensis resembles F. macrophylla in its habit, inflorescence type, stipules and pod shape. However, it differs from the latter in leaflet shape and size, petiole structure, inflorescence axes length, shape of the standard, and density of glands on pods ( Gavade et al. 2017). The specimens of F. sootepensis at some Chinese herbaria was misidentifed to F. macrophylla (e.g. Figure 4 ). However, it clearyly differs from the latter in leaflet shape and size (narrow, linear to lanceolate vs. broad, ovate to lanceolate), petiole structure (distinctly winged vs. grooved not winged), stipule (caducous vs. persistent), inflorescence axes length (equally or longer than the petioles vs. shorter than the petioles), shape of the standard (elliptic vs. obovate), and density of glands on pods (densely gland-dotted vs. sparsely gland-dotted). Therefore, these specimens are here identified correctly as F. sootepensis , a new record for the flora of China.

Representative specimens: — VIETNAM. Kon Tum: Dak Gley, on Dak Poko river bank, about 7–8 km south of Dak Gley town , near Dak Tung village , 2 December 1995, L.Averyanov, et al. VH2192 (AAU, MW) (Figure) . LAOS. Xieng Khouang: M.E.Poilane 2191 (P) ; Muong Soui-Muong You, M.E.Poilane 20089 (P); Na Mo-Muong Nam Tha, M.E.Poilane 26216 (P). Vientiane: Ban Sa Phan Meuk, Vidal 1435 (P) . THAILAND. Chieng Mai: Doi Suthep, B.Loitnant & C.Niyomdham 04 (AAU) ; Doi Suthep National Park , J.F.Maxwell 92-847 (AAU) ; Muang, Doi Sutep Mountain , Doi Phui, J.F.Maxwell 88-86 (AAU) ; K.Larsen 5603 (BKF); F.F. Maxwell 67 (BKF); K.Larsen et al. 44931 (AAU, BKF). Petchaboon: Nam Non, J.F.Maxwell 73-618 (AAU). Phu Kradung: Loi, CH.Charoenphol et al. 4857 (AAU). Fang: Fang near Solfatara, R.Geesink et al. 8221 (AAU). Chenburi: Bahn Beung, Kew Chempo, J.F.Max 76-706 (AAU). Lampang: Muang Bahn, J.F.Maxwell 95-1326 (BKF) ; Wang Nua, J.F.Maxwell 97-293 (BKF). CHINA. Yunnan: Z.Y.Wu et al. 82069 (KUN-0616413) ( Figure 4 ) ; Yiwu Yinan to Shuangyi, S.Ji 59-11384 (KUN); W. Wang 10194 (KUN); Xishuangbanna, Zhayao Yaozhai, Yunnan Tropical Resources Expl. Team 1103 (KUN); Menghai, Bohai to Nanzhang Mountain , KIB Workstation 07374 (PE) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Flemingia sootepensis, a new record for China (Wu et al. 82069 at KUN-0616413).