Oreocharis parviflora Lei Cai & Z.K. Wu, 2017

Cai, Lei, Huang, Hua, Dao, Zhi-Ling & Wu, Zhi-Kun, 2017, Oreocharis parviflora, a new species of Gesneriaceae from northwestern Yunnan, China, Phytotaxa 329 (2), pp. 167-172 : 167-169

Oreocharis parviflora Lei Cai & Z.K. Wu , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

Diagnosis:— Oreocharis parviflora resembles O. henryana in floral characteristics, but can easily be distinguished from the latter by having petiole densely covered by rust-brown villous hairs, leaf blade elliptic to oval, leaf surface rugose and with depressed and reticulate veinlets, adaxially densely with appressed pubescence, abaxially with white or rust-brown pubescence, along veins densely with rust-brown villous hairs, veins depressed adaxially and prominent abaxially, peduncle and pedicel sparsely with rust-brown villous hairs and glandular-puberulence, calyx with 5 lobed lobed to base and broadly lanceolate.

Type:— CHINA. Yunnan: Nujiang Prefecture, Lanping County, Lajing Town, Jiulong Village, Hongtujian, 26°30’ N, 99°14’ E, elev. ca. 1915 m, on moist rocks in a valley (cultivated in Lijiang Alpine Botanical Garden), in flowering, 29 September 2016, Z. K. Wu et al. C 2016055 (holotype: KUN!, isotype: KUN!).

Perennial herbs, rhizomatous, short. Leaves basal, with long petioles, petiole 0.5–4.5 cm long, densely rust-brown villous, leaf blade surface rugose, with depressed and reticulate veinlets, elliptic to oval, 2–6.5 × 1.2–3.5 cm, adaxially densely appressed pubescent, abaxially white or rusty-brown pubescent, densely rusty-brown villous along veins, lateral veins 4–6 on each side of midrib, subsidence adaxially and prominent abaxially, apex rounded, base cuneate, margin crenate to crenulate or triangular serrated. Cymes axillary 1–4, inflorescence 6–12-flowered; peduncle 5–10 cm long, ca. 2mm in diameter, glandular pubescent and sparsely rusty-brown villous; bracts 2, linear to subulate, often deciduous, ca. 3 × 0.5 mm, outside villous, margin entire; pedicel 0.4–2.8 cm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter, glandular pubescent and sparsely rust-brown villous. Calyx 5-parted to base, lobes equal, broadly lanceolate, ca. 4 × 1 mm, outside sparsely pubescent and rust-brown villous, inside glabrous. Corolla dark purple to purplish brown with yellowish, 5–7 mm long, outside glabrous, tube campanulate, 3–5 mm long, ca. 4 mm in diameter; limb 2-lipped; adaxial lip 2-lobed to middle, abaxial lip 3-lobed to base, all lobes semiorbicular, 1–1.5 × 1–1.5 mm. Stamens 4, ca. 4 mm long, adnate to corolla 1–1.5 mm from base; filaments flattened, glabrous; anthers broadly oblong, 2-loculed, dehiscing longitudinally, connective glabrous; staminode 1, ca. 1 mm long, adnate to corolla ca. 1 mm from base. Disc ca. 0.8 mm high, entire. Pistil glabrous, 5–6 mm long; ovary cylindrical, 4–5 mm long; style ca. 1.5 mm long; stigma 1, disc-shaped. Capsule linear, 1.5–2.8 cm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter.

Distribution and Ecology:— Oreocharis parviflora is currently known only from the type locality in a valley along Lancang River by one population with ca. 200 individuals. This species was observed to grow on moist rocks with mosses and other epiphytes, and occasionally shallow surface soil, in places with sufficient seasonal run-off water, under evergreen broad-leaved forests in Lajing Town, Lanping County, Nujiang Prefecture, northwestern Yunnan, China.

Phenology:— Flowering from September to October; fruiting from October to November.

Etymology: —The specific epithet ‘ parviflora ’ derives from the Latin prefix, parvi-, small, and the Latin suffix, -flora, of flower, referring to the relatively small flowers of the new species. This species are among those with the smallest flowers in the genus of Oreocharis . The Chinese name in Pinyin is “Xiǎo Huâ Mǎ Líng Jǜ Tái”.

Taxonomic affinities:— Oreocharis parviflora morphologically resembles O. henryana ( Fig 3 ) in having calyx with five lobes lobed to base, corolla purple and throat not constricted, tube campanulate, anthers broadly oblong, 2- loculed, and dehiscent longitudinally, and stigma 1 and disc-shaped. However, O. parviflora can be easily differentiated from the latter by the indumentum characters and the shape of leaf blade, petiole, peduncle, and pedicel. The detailed characters of the two related species are provided in Table 1.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Oreocharis parviflora Lei Cai & Z.K. Wu.—A. Plant with flowers.—B. Adaxial leaf surface showing appressed pubescent hairs.—C. Abaxial leaf surface showing pubescent and villous indumentum.—D. Pistil and calyx.—E. Corolla spread out for showing stamens and staminode.—F & G. Flowers.—H. Peduncle showing pubescent and villous indumentum.

FIGURE 2. Oreocharis parviflora Lei Cai & Z.K. Wu.—A. Plant in cultivation.—B. Plant in the wild.—C. Adaxial leaf surface.—D. Abaxial leaf surfaces, petioles, and roots.—E. Inflorescence.—F & G. Side and upper views of flowers.—H. Opened flower.—I. Flower with corolla removed showing stamens.

FIGURE 3. Oreocharis henryana Oliv..—A&B. Habitat.—C. Adaxial leaf surfaces.—D. Abaxial leaf surfaces.—E. Inflorescence.—F & G. Side views of flowers.—H. Upper view of flower showing mouth.—I. Pistil with calyx and corolla spread out showing stamens and staminode.