Urtica mairei Lév. (1913: 183)

Becker, Karin, Grosse-Veldmann, Bernadette & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, Weeding the nettles VI: Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of the Southeast Asian Urtica fissa-clade (Urticaceae), Phytotaxa 323 (3), pp. 217-236 : 230

4. Urtica mairei Lév. (1913: 183) . Figs. 6 and 7

Type:—[ China. Yunnan] pied des murs-plaine de Tong-Tchouan, 2500 m, Sep. 1913, E.E. Maire s.n. (holotype E! (E_00275395)).

Erect, perennial herb ca. 1.5 m, form perennial root and with pleiokorm of perennating underground stems; stem indumentum of stinging hairs with pluricellular base 1.0– 1.5 mm long overall, setae 0.8–1.0 mm, and with simple trichomes 0.1 mm long; leaf lamina suborbicular, 70–120 × 50–90 mm, margin lobulate with two orders of dentation, 8–15 major teeth on each side, 2–10 mm long, major teeth with 2–4 minor teeth on each side, minor teeth 0.5–2 mm, leaf base subcordate to rounded, leaf apex apiculate; leaf indumentum of stinging hairs with pluricellular base 1.3–2.0 mm long overall, setae 1.1–1.5 mm, and with simple trichomes 0.1–0.2 mm long; leaf surface with punctiform cystoliths; petioles 40–90 mm long; 4 stipules, forming 2 fused pairs per node, 100–150 mm long, elongated; plant monoecious, usually staminate flowers basal, carpellate flowers apical; staminate flowers with all tepals 1.0 mm long, pubescent; pistillate flowers with tepals 0.2–0.5 mm long, pubescent; infructescence 30–90 mm; mature fruits with longer tepals 1.0– 1.3 mm long, achenes suborbicular in outline, laterally flattened, ca. 1.0–1.3 × 1.0 mm.

Note: —Amongst the numerous collections of U. mairei none was exactly identical to the type specimen, all o them differ in marginally smaller stipules (compare Figs. 6 and 7 ) and slightly less sharp teeth. However, we consider this part of the natural variation within one species.

Distribution and Habitat: — U. mairei is restricted to southern Asia and is here reported from Northeast-Vietnam, Taiwan, Tibet and the Chinese provinces Guangxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan. U. mairei is commonly found on roadsides, pastures, in the understory of forests growing in rich and moist soil, near streams, and is usually found at intermediate to high elevations.

Phenology:— U. mairei flowers throughout the year.

Conservation status: —Using IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2016), Urtica mairei Lév. is considered “Least Concern” (LC).

Representative specimens:— CHINA. Guangxi: Longjin , in a valley, 560 m, 18 Nov. 1957, Collector unknown (IBK_00130570!) ; Longjin , in a valley, roadside, 1000 m, 09 Nov.1957, Collector unknown (IBK_00130572!) ; Longlin , in a valley, slow slope, 1570 m, 12 Mar. 1956, Collector unknown (IBK_00130576!) ; Sichuan: Linggu , back mountain, hillside, in a groove under a tree, 50–80 m, 18 Jul. 1976, Collector unknown (CDBI_0017400! & CDBI_0017401!) ; Riverside , understory, 2600 m, 19 Aug. 1978, Zhao, Yang, Kehua Nian 2600 (CDBI_0017432!, CDBI_0017433!, CDBI_0017434!) ; Yunnan: 21. Jul. 1898, F. Ducloux 659 (P_06749810!) ; Dry shady situatios in pine and mixed forests on the eastern flank of the Lichiang Range, Lat. 27°20’N, 2743–3048 m, Aug. 1910, G.Forrest 63931 (P_06855806!) ; 1934, H.T. Tsai 57550 (HUH_00240989!); Central-Yunnan Wuding Sheshan, Pinus-Castanopsis mixed forest, 2000– 2400 m, 25 Dec. 1984, T. Deding 840035 (HUH_00278031! & HUH_00278030!) ; Chungtien, Haba, Altitude : 2600 m, Habitat : Margin of garden, 25 Nov. 1937, T.T. Yü 14978 (HUH_00278006!) ; Gingtung A-Lo-De, 2200 m, on road side, 13 Jan. 1940, M.K. Li 2782 (KUN_0523742! & KUN_0523743!) ; Jingdong , evergreen broad-leaf forest, 2300 m, 21 Oct. 1993, Dai Peng 1408 (KUN_0523718!) ; Kunming, West Mountain, Sanqing Pavilion , 01 Jun. 1957, W.Yin 881 (KUN_0523724!) ; Likiang city, open pasture, 23 Sep. 1939, R.C. Ching 21696a (HUH_00240990!) ; Luna, Stone Forest , 1800 m, 07 Sep. 1977, S. Qiu s.n. (CDBI_0017436!) ; Muli, Tongtian River, Riverside , sunny slope, 04 Oct. 1959, Wu 3493 (CDBI_0017435!) ; Plain de Tong-Tchouan , 2500 m, Aug. 1913, E.E. Maire s.n. (P_06750044!) ; Plain de Tong-Tchouan , 2500 m, Oct. 1913, E.E. Maire s.n. (P_06822139!) ; Plain de Tong-Tchouan , beneath walls, 2500 m, Sep. 1913, E.E. Maire 1184 (E_00275395!, E_00275394!, E_00275396!) ; Wei-si Hsien, Yeh-Chih, Altidude : 3200 m, Habitat : Mountain slope, Aug. 1935, C.W. Wang 68073 (HUH_00278027!) ;— TAIWAN. 1500m, Dec. 1914, M. Faurie 1511 (HUH! & P_06855803!) ; Mt. Taiha, Izawayamasitn , 04 Aug. 1934, Suzuki s.n. (PE_00509586!) ; Nokosan (Mt. Noko), between Noko Police Station (alt. 9437 ft.) and the Prefectural Boundary , 10,200 ft., west of the divide, 05 Oct. 1926, H.H. Bartlett 6235 (HUH!) ;— TIBET. Kongbo: near Tripe (SE Tibet), roadside climbing out of Tripe towards Gyala , Shady cleft in roadside cliff by track, Near 29 36 54.4 N 94 56 26.8 E, 3000 m, 08 Oct. 1997, cultivated specimens collected in University of Liverpool Botanic Gardens , Ness, K. Rushforth & H. McAllister 5247 (BONN!) ; Nacuo , in the forest, 2750 m, 26 Aug. 1975, Tibet Team 751685 (KUN_0523739!, KUN_0523740!) ;— VIETNAM. 17 Sep. 1888, Anon. 3251 (P_06855805!) ; Northeast: Tonkin , 06 Jul. 1909, C. Alleizette s.n. (L_1629818!) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Urtica mairei:A. Habit (Qiu s.n.), B. Node with fused stipules (Ducloux 659), C. Typical leaf (Rushforth & McAllister 5247), D. Male inflorescence (Rushforth & McAllister 5247), E. Infructescence (Rushforth & McAllister 5247). Scale bar: A, C, D = 5 cm; B, E = 1 cm.

FIGURE 7. Habit of a type specimen of Urtica mairei (Maire s.n., E_00275394).