Ilex fargesii subsp. melanotricha (Merr.) Andrews (1986: 134)

Hong, De-Yuan, 2015, A taxonomical revision of Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) in the Pan-Himalaya and unraveling its distribution patterns, Phytotaxa 230 (2), pp. 151-171 : 158

7b. Ilex fargesii subsp. melanotricha (Merr.) Andrews (1986: 134) . Ilex melanotricha Merrill (1941: 101) . Type:— MYANMAR (Upper Burma). Adung Valley, 2400 m, 31. Mar. 1932, F. Kingdon-Ward 9331 (lectotype designated by Hu, 1950a: A; isolectotypes: BM, E)

Ilex chartacifolia C.Y. Wu ex Y.R. Li (1985: 11 & pl. 3-2), syn. nov. Type:— CHINA. Yunnan (S Hengduan), Yangbi , 29. Oct. 1940, R. C. Ching 25348 (holotype: KUN; isotype: PE).

Ilex chartacifolia var. glabra C.Y. Wu ex Y.R. Li (1985: 12 & pl. 3-3), syn. nov. Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Gongshan, Bingzhongluo, 1900 m, 10. Oct. 1956, P. I. Mao 549 (holotype: KUN).

Ilex micropyrena C.Y. Wu ex Y.R. Li (1985: 20 & pl. 6-3), syn. nov. Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Gongshan, Changputung , 1700 m, 28. Sept. 1940, K.M. Feng 8070 (holotype: KUN; isotype: PE).

Ilex punctatilimba C.Y. Wu ex Y.R. Li (1985: 21 & pl. 6-4), syn. nov. Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Jingdong, Wuliang Shan, 2500 m, 01. May 1959, S.G. Xu 4780 (holotype: KUN).

Three species and one variety, all from Yunnan, are here reduced to synonyms without reservation. The author of I. chartacifolia stated in the protologue that her species resembled I. chieniana S.Y. Hu (1946: pl. 166). The latter was described from Mt Emei in Sichuan, and has been reduced to a synonym of I. intermedia . In fact, the two taxa are quite different in a number of characters. Ilex chartacifolia should be compared with I. melanotricha described from the Adung Valley, NE Myanmar, not far from the type locality of her plant, i.e. Yangbi, Yunnan. I compared the type specimen and original description of I. chartacifolia with those of I. melanotricha , but I failed to find any significant difference between these two taxa. I believe that I. chartacifolia var. glabra is just a form of I. fargesii subsp. melanotricha .

Ilex micropyrena was described from Gongshan, Yunnan, near the type locality of I. melanotricha . Li (1985) compared her species with I. chieniana , but not with I. melanotricha . Again, I would state that comparing both the type specimens and original descriptions of I. micropyrena and I. melanotricha failed in finding any significant difference between the two taxa.

Ilex punctatilimba was described from Jingdong, SW Yunnan, out of the Pan-Himalaya, but Chen et al. (2008) recorded the taxon in NW Yunnan, within our region. In addition to the type specimen Li also included three collections preserved in KUN and PE: Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 6389 (Weixi, Yunnan), Nanshui Beidiao Exped. 8385 (Gongshan, Yunnan),and G.F.Li61584 (Jinfo Shan, Chongqing).Li described her species as“Folia…subtus punctato-glandulosa…”, and Chen et al. (2008) followed her description. Li compared her new species with I. peiradena S.Y. Hu (1950: 62) from Guangxi. I critically examined the type specimen and the three collections mentioned above, which are not like “punctate” species, such as I. szechwanensis , I. crenata , and I. dicarpa in I. sect. Paltoria, or I. longecaudata in I. sect. Pseudoaquifolium S.Y. Hu (1950 b: 218). Their so-called “punctato-glandulosa” is either irregular processes, or, in the type specimen, gland-like, but sparsely and unevenly distributed processes. In Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 6389 there are only sparse processes, and in Nanshui Beidiao Exped. 8385 only irregular rugosities are present. Collection 8385 was identified as I. punctatilimba by Li in May of 1978, but was identified as I. melanotricha by Tseng in October of the same year. However, it was identified as I. punctatilimba again by Li one year late. In all other respects I. punctatilimba is closely similar to I. melanotricha , and can not be considered to be a different species.

Representative specimens examined:— YARLUNG ZANGBO-BRAHMAPUTRA: Zayü, Dongqiong , 2900 m, 18. Jul. 1973, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 73–778 ( KUN). S HENGDUAN: Bijiang , 2800 m, 10. Oct. 1933, H. T. Tsai 58668 ( PE) ; Dali, Canshan, Huadianba , 2900 m, 21. May 1981, S. B. E. C. 1012 ( KUN) ; Gongshan, Binzhongluo , 1900 m, 10. Oct. 1956, P. I. Mao 549 ( PE) ; Gongshan, Baihaluo , 22. Nov. 1959, s. coll. 24682 ( KUN) ; Lushui, Shweli-Salween Divide, 25°40 ′ N, 98°50 ′ E, 3050 m, 1924–1925, Forrest 26070 ( PE) ; Weixi, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 6385 ( KUN) ; Yangbi, Shizhong , 3080 m, 07. May 1981, S. B. E. C. 0294 ( KUN) ; Yulong (Lijiang), Luoxu Shan, 25. Oct. 1939, R. C. Ching 21932 (KUN, PE). U IRRAWADDY: Adung Valley , 2440 m, 20. May 1931, F. Kingdon-Ward 9507 ( BM) ; Hpimaw Pass , 26°N, 98°42 ′ E, 3050–3350 m, Sept. 1924, G. Forrest 25069 (E, K) ; Tengchong , 25°30 ′ N, 98°30 ′ E, 2440 m, Oct. 1924, Forrest 25995 (K, PE) ; Tengchong, by Guyong River , 1680 m, 23. May 1964, S. K. Wu 6826 ( KUN) .