Litsea sessilifructa (C.J. Qi & K.W. Liu) L. Wu & J.J. Zhou, 2018

Zhou, Jian-Jun, Wu, Lei & Wu, Shao-Wu, 2018, The identity of Actinodaphne sessilifructa (Lauraceae), Phytotaxa 374 (2), pp. 162-166 : 165

Litsea sessilifructa (C.J. Qi & K.W. Liu) L. Wu & J.J. Zhou , comb. nov. ( Figure 1 , 2 A–E )

Basionym:— Actinodaphne sessilifructa C.J. Qi & K.W. Liu (1987:215) . Type:— CHINA. Hunan province, Tongdao county , Zhangli village , in valley, elevation 440 m, 7 September 1983, K. W. Liu 30526 (holotype: CSFI, not seen; isotype: CSFI barcode CSFI050236 !) .

Evergreen trees, up to 10 m tall. Branchlets densely brown tomentose. Leaves alternate or 3–4-subverticillate; petiole 6–15 mm, densely brown tomentose; leaf blade obovate or elliptic-obovate, 12–27 × 6–9 cm, villous along midrib and lateral veins abaxially, glabrous adaxially, lateral veins 6–11 pairs, transverse veinlets conspicuously prominent abaxially, base cuneate, apex acute to caudate, usually shortly acuminate. Umbels solitary, 3- or 5-flowered; peduncle absent; involucral bracts decussate, outside brown villous, ciliate, persistent at flowering and fruiting. Flowers unisexual. Pedicel shorter than 2 mm, sparsely villous; perianth segments 6, subovate, outside white sericeous. Male flowers: fertile stamens 9–12; filaments sparsely villous, in the 3rd whorl each with 2 sessile rounded glands at base; rudimentary pistil sparsely villous. Female flowers: staminodes as many as stamens of male flowers; ovary superior, densely white sericeous; style conspicuous. Fruit ellipsoidal, 9–12 × 7–8 mm, seated on shallowly bowl-shaped receptacle.

Phenology:— Flowering from March to April, sometimes in September; fruiting from July to November.

Distribution and Habitat:— This species is currently only known from the type locality which is covered by subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest. The individuals are occurring mainly in the valley, usually accompanied by trees of Daphniphyllaceae , Elaeocarpaceae , Fagaceae , Rutaceae , Theaceae and Ulmaceae .

Conservation status:— So far, only one population with a total of 156 individuals has been found, mostly 5–7 m in height and 10–13 cm in diameter, scattered in an area of not more than 0.2 km 2. However, the habitat is well protected by the local people as a water protection forest. Thus, the species is temporarily classified as Endangered (B2ab (iii,iv,v) & D) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria (IUCN 2016),

Additional specimens examined: — CHINA. Hunan province, Tongdao county, Zhangli village, in valley, elevation 440 m, 23 September 1984, K. W. Liu 32934 (paratype: CSFI), 27 September 1984, K. W. Liu 32956 (paratype: CSFI), 25 April 2014, J. J. Zhou & S. W. Wu 14042501 (CSFI), 19 September 2016, J. J. Zhou 16091945 (CSFI), 4 April 2017, J. J. Zhou 17040403 (CSFI).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Paratype of Litsea sessilifructa (K. W. Liu 32934, CSFI barcode no. CSFI002030!).

FIGURE 2. A–E: Litsea sessilifructa. A. Habit; B. Flowering branch; C & D. Inflorescences; E. Immature infructescence. F, G: Actinodaphne kweichowensis. F. Branch with immature fruit sheet; G. Immature infructescence. H, I: L. elongata. H. Branch with immature fruit sheet; I. Immature infructescence. (scale: B & F 10 cm; C & D 5 mm; E, G & I 1 cm; H 5 cm. Photos by Jian-Jun Zhou and Lei Wu).