Ophiopogon latifolius Rodriguez (1928: 998)

Tanaka, Noriyuki, 2019, Typification of twelve names in Neolourya, Ophiopogon, and Peliosanthes (Asparagaceae) published by Léopold Rodriguez, Phytotaxa 388 (2), pp. 161-166 : 162

Ophiopogon latifolius Rodriguez (1928: 998)

Material cited in the protologue:― Tonkin: Vallée de Lankok, Mont Bavi (Balansa 2156 et 4152).

Type (lectotype, designated here):― Vietnam. Tonkin: Vallée de Lankok, Mont Bavi, dans les forêts, October 1887, B. Balansa 2156 ( P, barcode P 00509920!).

Other original material examined:― Vietnam. Tonkin: Vallée de Lankok, Mont Bavi, July 1887, B. Balansa 4152 ( P, barcode P 00753535*).

Note:― Rodriguez (1928) published Ophiopogon latifolius based on two syntypes, Balansa 2156 and 4152 from the same locality. However, these represent two different species. In 2156, the pedicels are much longer than the basal stalky part of the perigone (i.e. the articulation or joint between the two parts is in the distal part of the whole stalky part), and the leaves are up to ca. 1.5 cm wide ( Tanaka 2000b). In contrast, in 4152, the pedicels are shorter than the basal stalky part of the perigone (i.e. the articulation or joint between the two parts is in the lower half of the entire stalky part), and the leaves are up to ca. 2.3 cm wide. In addition, 2156 is in flower in October, while 4152 is in bud in July, thus differing in flowering season. The protologue of O. latifolius appears based largely on 2156, since it described leaf width as being up to 1.5 cm and many floral characters, including pistils and stamens that are enclosed by the perigone in 4152. Accordingly, 2156 is chosen here as the lectotype for O. latifolius . On the other hand, 4152 agrees in many respects, including the flowering season, with O. vietnamensis described from Tamdao, northern Vietnam ( Tanaka 2000d). Ophiopogon vietnamensis has so far been known only from the type locality, hence the habitat (Mt. Bavi) of 4152 is recorded here as the second locality of this species.