Didymocarpus anningensis Y.M. Shui, Lei Cai & J. Cai, 2016

Cai, Lei, Cai, Jie & Shui, Yu-Min, 2016, Didymocarpus anningensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China, Phytotaxa 255 (3), pp. 292-296 : 292-293

Didymocarpus anningensis Y.M. Shui, Lei Cai & J. Cai , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

Diagnosis:— The new species resembles D. purpureobracteatus and D. yunnanensis in leaves opposite, calyx slightly 5-lobed, corolla purple with darker stripes, pubescent anthers. But it clearly differs from the latter in its stems densely pilose and glandular puberulent (puberulent above, sparsely puberulent to glabrescent below in D. purpureobracteatus , densely puberulent to glabrescent in D. yunnanensis ), bracts connate at base (sometimes connate at base, covering calyx when flowering in D. purpureobracteatus , free at base in D. yunnanensis ), calyx 6–10 mm long (10–12 mm long in D. purpureobracteatus , 3–6 mm long in D. yunnanensis ), corolla glabrous (glabrous in D. purpureobracteatus , outside sparsely pubescent in D. yunnanensis ) and three staminodes (two in D. purpureobracteatus and D. yunnanensis ).

Type:— CHINA. Yunnan: Kunming, Anning, Qinglong Community , Zongshuyuan Village , elev. ca. 1840 m, forest margin and roadside, in flowering, 29 August 2013, Jie Cai et al. 13 CS7155 (holotype KUN!; isotype KUN!) .

Perennial herbs, stems 5–10 cm high, densely pilose and glandular puberulent. Leaves opposite, 3–5 pairs; leaf petiole 0.2–4.5 cm long, densely pilose and glandular puberulent, leaf blade rounded or oblong, 1–3.6 × 0.8–3.5 cm, herbaceous, adaxially densely appressed pubescent and glandular puberulent, abaxially densely pubescent and glandular, puberulent,densely pilose along veins on both sides, lateral veins 3–6 on each side of midrib, apex obtuse to rounded, base broadly cuneate to rounded, symmetric but occasionally oblique, margin crenate to crenulate. Cymes axillary towards the top of the stem, inflorescence 2–10-flowered; peduncle 3–10 cm long, sparsely glandular puberulent; bracts 2, green or purple, opposite, connate at base, ovate, 3–6 mm long, glabrous, margin entire; pedicel 0.4–1.8 cm long, glabrous. Calyx slightly zygomorphic, 6–10 mm long, funnelform-campanulate, glabrous; limb indistinctly 2-lipped; tube 4–7 mm long; adaxial lip 3-lobed to middle or slightly over central, lobes triangular, ca. 1.8 mm long; abaxial lip 2-lobed, lobes triangular, ca. 3 mm long. Corolla purple to pinkish purple with darker stripes on both sides, 3.8–4.2 cm long, glabrous; corolla tube funnelform, ca. 2.8 cm long, 2–9 mm in diameter; limb 5-lobed, adaxial lip 2-lobed to middle, lobes oval to rounded, 4–6 mm long, ca. 5 cm in diameter for the base of lobes, abaxial lip 3-lobed to middle, lobes oval to rounded, 5–8 mm long, ca. 6 cm in diameter for the base of lobes. Stamens 2, adnate to corolla 1.6–2cm from base; filaments linear, 6–8 mm long, glabrous; anthers ca. 2 mm long, pubescent; staminodes 3, 3–5 mm long, adnate to corolla 1.5–1.8 cm from base (the central one thinner and shorter, closer to the base). Disc cupulate, ca. 1.2 mm high. Pistil glabrous, 2.8–3.5 cm long; ovary narrowly linear, 2.4–3 cm long; style ca. 0.4 cm long; stigma 1, disc-like. Capsule linear, 3.5–4.5 cm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter.

Distribution and Ecology:— Didymocarpus anningensis is currently known only from the type locality where it is represented by one population along the road with ca. 60–80 individuals. Its habitat corresponds to broad-leaved evergreen forests dominated by Cyclobalanopsis glaucoides Schottky ( Fagaceae ), Craspedolobium unijugum (Gagnep.) Z.Wei & Pedley ( Fabaceae ) and Ilex sp. ( Aquifoliaceae ). It occurs together with Begonia labordei Lévl. ( Begoniaceae ) and Athyrium sp. ( Athyriaceae ). The species grows on limestone rocks with shallow surface soil, in places with sufficient seasonal run-off water.

Phenology:— Flowering from mid-August to mid-september; fruiting from mid-september to October.

Taxonomic affinities:— The new species morphologically resembles Didymocarpus purpureobracteatus W. W. Smith (1912: 153) and D. yunnanensis (Franchet 1899: 250) W. W. Smith (1924: 337) , however, D. anningensis can be clearly differentiated from both by several characters, such as combination of stem indumentum characters, leaf blade, bract and calyx shape, leaf indumentum and number of staminodes. The detailed characters among the three related species are provided in Table 1.

Etymology: —The specific epithet ‘anningensis’ refers to the type locality where the new species occurs, Anning, Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— CHINA. Yunnan: Kunming, Anning, Qinglong Community, Zongshuyuan Village, elev. ca. 1895 m, on moist rocks roadside, flowering, 13 September 2015, Lei Cai et al. B2015-026 (KUN!).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Didymocarpus anningensis Y.M. Shui, Lei Cai & J. Cai. (from the paratype) A. Plant with flowers and young fruits; B. Pistil with calyx; C. Opened corolla showing stamens and staminodes.

FIGURE 2. Didymocarpus anningensis Y.M. Shui, Lei Cai & J. Cai. A. Habitat; B. Plant with flowers; C. Flower; D. Opened corolla showing stamens and staminodes; E. Pistil with calyx; F. Stem, leaf petiole and roots; G. Adaxial leaf surface; H. Abaxial leaf surface; I. Bracts; J. Adaxial lip of calyx; K. Abaxial lip of calyx. Notes: A–B photographed by Jie Cai, C–K photographed by Lei Cai.