Vanoverberghia diversifolia Elmer

Docot, R. V. A., Banag, C. I., Tandang, D. N., Funakoshi, H. & Poulsen, A. D., 2019, Recircumscription and revision of the genus Vanoverberghia (Zingiberaceae), Blumea 64 (2), pp. 140-157 : 147

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3767/blumea.2019.64.02.05
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D2250510-FFD4-8947-FFB7-B2CDFD8AFE54
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Vanoverberghia diversifolia Elmer
status

Treatment

Vanoverberghia diversifolia Elmer View in CoL — Fig. 3 View Fig , 4 View Fig ; Map 1 View Map 1

Vanoverberghia diversifolia Elmer (1915) View in CoL 2913 (as ‘ diversifolium ’). — Alpinia diversifolia (Elmer) Elmer (1919) View in CoL 2991. — Languas diversifolia (Elmer) Merr. (1923) View in CoL 231. — Type: A.D.E.Elmer 8853 (lecto SING barcode SING0044093, designated here; isolecto BISH, BO, F, G, K, L, MO, NY, US), Philippines, Luzon, Benguet, Baguio, Mar. 1907.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the varying leaf size.

Terrestrial herb in loose clumps. Rhizome 10 –12 mm across, reddish green, scales thin, brown. Leafy shoot arching, pseudostem 1–1.5 m long, terete, base bulbose; sheaths pubescent, mid-green; ligule bilobed, greenish brown, lobes ovate, 1–1.5 by 3–5 mm, pubescent, apices rounded; petiole 0.5–1 mm long (subsessile); lamina oblong, 18–20 by 6.5–8 cm, slightly plicate, glabrous on both sides except the pubescent base and midrib beneath, coriaceous and dark green above, lighter beneath, base obtuse, margin entire and pubescent, apex caudate, flagellate tip 8–15 mm long. Inflorescence 10– 25 cm long; peduncle terete, 3–4 cm long, pubescent, mid-green, subtended by one persistent bract; rachis terete, 8–20 cm long, pubescent, mid-green; pedicel terete, 7–10 mm long, pubescent, mid-green; floral bract spathaceous, tubular at base, 13–15 by 4–7 mm when flattened, brown, apex acute and pubescent; flower bud claw-like; flowers laxly arranged along rachis, white; calyx spathaceous, laterally split to base, 37–40 by 7–10 mm, glabrous, mid-green, angled at up to 90° to axis of flower, apex acute and pubescent; corolla tube 2–2.5 cm long, glabrous, white; dorsal corolla lobe linear-oblong, 33–40 by 5–8 mm, glabrous, white, margin translucent white, apex rounded and cucullate; lateral corolla lobes linear-oblong, 18–22 by 3–5 mm, glabrous, white, margin translucent white, apex rounded and cucullate; labellum connate to base of lateral corolla lobes, free part bifid, lobes subulate, 30–35 by 1–1.5 mm, white, base glabrous, apices entire and acute; lateral staminodes filiform, 1.5–2 cm long, pubescent, white; filament enclosing style for almost half its length above labellum, 27–30 by 3–3.5 mm, glandular, white; anther linear, 15–17 by 4–5 mm, cream, crestless; style 3.7–4 cm long, pubescent, white; stigma cupular, 1–2 mm wide, white, ostiole elliptic, margin pubescent; epigynous glands compressed, subglobose, 1.6–2 by 1–1.2 mm; ovary subglobose, 18–20 by 4–5 mm, pubescent, mid-green. Fruit ellipsoid to subglobose, 12–15 by 15–17 mm, dark green when mature, pubescent, calyx persistent. Seed subglobose, brown with white aril.

Local names & Uses — Kagda-opot (Igorot language), buntotpusa (Tagalog), and oplay (Tagalog). Vanoverberghia diversifolia is often associated by the locals of Maria Aurora, Aurora as the white form of Strongylodon elmeri Merr. , commonly known as the ‘jade vine’ because of its claw-like flower buds. In addition, the bulbose base of the pseudostem is reported to be eaten by the Igorots living in Sablan, Benguet ( Elmer 1915).

Phenology — Flowering occurs between November and January but a few individuals may bloom between February and April, which is also the fruiting season.

Distribution & Habitat — Vanoverberghia diversifolia is endemic to Luzon Island, particularly in the provinces of Aurora, Benguet, and Quezon. The species inhabits deeply shaded ravines and stream sides at 100–1100 m.

Additional specimens examined. PHILIPPINES. D. N . Tandang s.n. ( PNH [2 sheets]), Aurora, Maria Aurora, Barangay Bazal , Bazal-Baubo Watershed , N15°48'37.5" E121°24'33.3", 300 m, 10 Apr.2010 GoogleMaps ; R.V.A. Docot 0034 ( PNH, USTH [4 sheets] incl. spirit), Aurora, Maria Aurora, Barangay Bazal, Bazal-Baubo Watershed , 9 Apr.2016 ; R.V.A. Docot 0085 ( USTH), Quezon, Tayabas, Barangay Lalo , Mount Banahaw , N14°03'00.4" E121°32'29.1", 1010 m, 26 June 2016 GoogleMaps .

Note — In describing this species, Elmer (1915) did not men- tion a holotype, so, we designate A.D.E. Elmer 8853 (SING) as the lectotype since this is the only specimen with reproductive material. The protologue of V. diversifolia does not include a description of a flower and the type at SING is the only du- plicate with fruits; all others are sterile. Recent collections of V. diversifolia were obtained in Aurora and Quezon provinces, 127–300 km from the type locality (Sablan, Benguet) on the same island (Luzon). These collections match the vegetative and fruiting characters of the type of V. diversifolia well and agree with most of the morphological characters indicated in the a protologue (e.g., densely pubescent ligules; terminal pendulous infructescence). Interestingly, upon careful examination of the type material, some of the characters included in the protologue did not match well with the type and our collections. For example, Elmer (1915) described the ligule as entire, but our observation of the type and recent collections revealed that it is bilobed ( Fig. 4a View Fig ). In addition, Elmer described the infructescence as a spike, but our examination suggests that the infructescence is a raceme since the fruits are rather pedicellate ( Fig. 4d View Fig ). Recent collections including flowers allowed us to amplify the description of V. diversifolia as well as make it more accurate regarding vegetative and fruit characters.