Neillia velutina Pendry, 2010

Pendry, Colin A., 2010, A new species of Neillia (Rosaceae) from Bhutan and eastern Nepal, Phytotaxa 10, pp. 38-40 : 38-40

Neillia velutina Pendry , sp. nov.

Neilliae rubiflorae D.Don affinis sed ovariis, ramulis, petiolis, foliis, inflorescentiisque dense villosis differt.

Type: — Nepal: Taplejung : Thasa Kharka - Jongim - Ramsyang Pati - Suketar - Lungthung, 27 o 42’ N, 87 o 50’ E, 2000 m, 2 June 1992, M. Suzuki , N. Acharya , S. Akiyama , H. Koba , S. Noshiro. & K. R. Rajbhandari 9240479 (Holotype E!, isotype TI!) .

Shrub to 2 m. Indumentum villous with erect to semi-erect, free or rather matted, unbranched trichomes to 0.6–0.8 mm. Twigs villous, with matted, semi-erect trichomes. Stipules narrowly ovate to elliptic, 4–7 x 1.5–2 mm, margin entire or rarely obscurely toothed, sparsely villous, persistent. Petioles 6–10 mm, densely villous, with matted, semi-erect trichomes. Leaves ovate, entire or shallowly 3-lobed, 2.5–7 x 1.5–4.5 cm, base cordate, apex acute to acuminate, margin doubly serrate, sparsely, rather appressed villous adaxially, more densely villous abaxially, with erect trichomes on the lamina and matted trichomes on the veins, secondary veins in 5–6 pairs. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, usually simple or occasionally with up to 5 short lateral branches at the base, 1.5–4 cm long overall, peduncle densely villous. Bracts ovate-acuminate, 3–4 x 1–1.5 mm. Pedicels 1.5–4 mm. Petals white. Hypanthium urceolate-campanulate, 3–4 x 4–5 mm, densely villous outside, villous basally within. Calyx lobes 5, triangular-ovate, 2–3 x 1.5–2 mm, apex acute to acuminate, densely villous outside, sparsely villous within. Petals 5, suborbicular, shortly clawed, 2–2.5 x 1.5–2 mm. Stamens 20–25, irregularly 2-whorled, filaments 1–2 mm, anthers 0.5 mm. Carpel solitary, 2 mm, densely villous throughout or in the upper half and along suture. Ovules 6–10. Style terminal, 2.5 mm, glabrous or villous. Stigma punctate. Fruit not seen.

Etymology:—Named for the velvety surfaces of the leaves.

Distribution:—Eastern Nepal and Bhutan, in grassland and scrub (and probably forest margins), at 2000– 2600 m.

Phenology: —Flowering in June.

Conservation Assessment: —Least Concern, since it is known from two vegetation types and probably able to tolerate some disturbance. Although only four localities are currently known they range over almost 500 km and it is very likely to occur more widely than these collections suggest.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): NEPAL: Taplejung : – Sakathum - Jongim - Doblyak - Amjilasa, 27 o 32’ N, 87 o 48’ E, 2340 m, 4 June 1992, Noshiro, S., Akiyama , S. & Acharya , N. 9261161 ( E! BM! TI); Panchthar : Ganuwale Bhajang, 2600-2800 m, 25 June 1992, Noshiro, S., Akiyama , S. & Acharya , N. 9241061 (BM! TI). BHUTAN: Tashigong : Gaurcha, 27 o 21’ N, 91 o 34’ E, 8500 ft, 11 June 1985, S. Bowes Lyon 9115 ( E!) .

N. velutina is most similar to N. rubiflora from the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, but is clearly separated from the latter by its densely villous ovary, leaves and twigs in contrast to the almost glabrous ovary and glabrous to sparsely appressed-pubescent leaves and twigs of N. rubiflora . The combination of villous ovary and racemose inflorescence readily distinguishes N. velutina from most other species of Neillia , but this combination is also found in N. affinis (Hemsley 1892: 304) , from southwestern China and northern Burma, Neillia fugongensis (T.C.Ku 1990: 12) from southwestern China and Neillia jinggangshanensis (Z.X.Yu 1983: 150) (Cuizhi & Alexander 2003) from southeastern China. N. velutina differs from these species as follows: N. affinis has a sparse indumentum of appressed trichomes on its twigs and leaves; N. fugongensis and N. jinggangshanensis have hypanthia longer than broad (broader than long in N. velutina ), up to 5 ovules (6–10 in N. velutina ) and acuminate to caudate leaves (acute to acuminate in N. velutina ).