Sadiria Longistyla (Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae), a New Species from Yunnan, China

https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.345.3.6

Sadiria longistyla (Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China

LI-YAN WANG1, ZE-HUAN WANG2, *, LI CHEN3, FEI ZHAO3, 4 & RONG-JIA LI5 1Tongbiguan Management Station, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Yingjiang 679300, China 2Department of Medicinal Plants and Cultivation, College of Pharmacy, Guiyang University of Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550025, China 3Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kun- ming 650201, China 4University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China 5Technology Integrated Service Center, Mengyang, Lianghe 679200, China *Author for Correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract

Sadiria longistyla from West Yunnan, China, is described as a species new to science and illustrated. It morphologically resembles S. eugenifolia var. burmanica, but differs by its fewer and larger leaves on the flowering branches, more lateral veins, larger inflorescences and petals, and smaller sepals. In addition, this new species is compared to S. aberrans, the only representative of Sadiria in China. A key to all taxa of Sadiria is also provided here.

Introduction

Sadiria Mez (1902: 181) is a genus built to accommodate those species which resemble Ardisia Swartz (1788: 48), but with united petals equal to or above the middle and flowers arranged in very short (equaling to or shorter than the petioles), axillary, subfasciculate cymose or subpaniculate inflorescences (Hu & Deng 2012). As a small and well-defined genus, Sadiria is mainly distributed from eastern Himalaya and Khasi Hills to northern Myanmar and southwest China (Mez 1902, Kurz 1974, Nayar & Giri 1974, Giri et al. 1992, Ståhl & Anderberg 2004, Hu & Deng 2012). So far seven species and two varieties have been reported in this genus (Nayar & Giri 1974, Hu & Deng 2012), among which S. aberrans (Walker 1939: 173) C.M.Hu & Y.F.Deng (2012: 396) is the only representative in China (Chen 1977, 1979, Chen & Pipoly 1996, Hu & Deng 2012). During a field survey in West Yunnan in 2016, the authors encountered a conspicuous Sadiria population in the forest of Jianbian Village, Yingjiang County. After careful comparison with the types of Sadiria (A, E, K, KUN, PE, US) and detailed study of protologues and other related taxonomic literature (Candolle 1834, Clarke 1882, Mez 1902, Dunn 1920, Nayar & Giri 1974, Chen 1977, 1979, Giri et al. 1992, Chen & Pipoly 1996, Hu & Deng 2012), we confirmed that it represents a species new to science, which is described and illustrated here.

Materials and Methods

Morphological description of the new species was based on examination of the available materials in the field and herbaria. The comparison with morphologically similar species was based on studies of the specimens in herbaria (A, E, KUN, PE, US), as well as the protologues and descriptions in related literature (Candolle 1834, Mez 1902, Nayar & Giri 1974, Chen 1977, 1979, Chen & Pipoly 1996, Hu & Deng 2012).

Accepted by Hai He: 5 Feb. 2018; published: 27 Mar. 2018 293 FIGURE 1. Sadiria longistyla. A. plants with new branches and six apical leaves; B. plants at flowering; C. flowering branches with inflorescences; D. fasciculate cymose inflorescences; E. infructescences; F. light yellow fruits; G. red fruits; H. blackish red, apple-like fruits; I. sepals and pistil; J. corolla and stamens.

Sadiria longistyla Ze H.Wang & H.Peng, sp. nov. (Fig. 1) Similar to S. eugenifolia (Wallich ex A.de Candolle 1834: 120) Mez (1902: 182) var. burmanica M.P.Nayar & G.S.Giri (1974: 146) (Fig. 2C), but could be well distinguished by the following characters: leaves on the flowering branches few (2–4) and large (13–17 × 4.5–6 cm), elliptic to obovate; lateral veins 13–20 pairs; inflorescences fasciculate cymose, large (ca. 2.5 cm long); pedicels long (ca. 6–8 mm); sepals 1/8 length of the petals; petals large (ca. 4 mm long), 3/4 united; stamens ca. 3/5 length of the petals; and styles twice length of the petals at the end of flowering.

FIGURE 2. Comparison among Sadiria longistyla, S. aberrans and S. eugenifolia var. burmanica. A. S. longistyla: A1. holotype (KUN1342914!); B. S. aberrans: B1. holotype (US00116363!); C. S. eugenifolia var. burmanica: C1. isotype (E00273844!). Shown below are their inflorescences (A2, B2 and C2), sepals, corollas and pistils (A3, B3 and C3), and corollas and stamens (A4, B4 and C4).

Type:—CHINA. Yunnan: Yingjiang County, Tongbiguan Town, Jianbian Village, Mai-yi-qing Mountain, 24.626°N, 97.620°E, elev. ca. 1610 m, 18 May 2017, Wang et al. WZH201705_001 (holotype KUN1342914!). Shrubs 0.5–1.2 [–1.5] m tall. Branchlets angulate, 1–2.5 mm in diameter, greyish puberulent, glabrescent. Six (rarely five or seven) leaves clustered on the plant apex, 17–21 × 5–7 cm, base slightly auricular; leaves on the flowering branches usually 2–4, smaller, 13–17 × 4.5–6 cm, base broadly cuneate or obtuse. Leaves papery, glabrous, leaf blade elliptic to obovate, margin slightly crisped and shallowly crenate, apex acuminate to slightly caudate; lateral veins 13–20 pairs on each side of midrib, abaxially raised, atypically marginal veins present. Petioles 5–8 mm long, sparsely puberulent. Inflorescences axillary, fasciculate cymose, ca. 2.5 cm long, sparsely puberulent, always pendulous. Flowers papery, ca. 4 mm long, 5-merous, narrowly opened at the end of flowering. Pedicels ca. 6–8 mm long, gradually expanded upwards, sparsely puberulent. Sepals ovate, ca. 0.5 mm long, 1/8 length of the petals, sparsely puberulent, light red punctate, margin white and ciliate, apex acute. Petals ca. 4 mm long, 3/4 united; lobes broadly ovate, glabrous, sparsely orangish punctate on both sides, base slightly auriculate, margin entire, apex obtuse. Stamens ca. 3/5 length of the petals; filaments sub-obsolete; anthers ovate to elliptic, punctate dorsally, dehiscent by longitudinal slits, apex long caudate. Pistils equal to the petals at the beginning of flowering; ovaries conical, glabrous; styles elongated with flowering to twice length of the petals, spiculate, glabrous; stigmas punctiform. Young fruits green to light yellow, punctate; ripe fruits blackish red, apple-like and glabrous, ca. 1 cm in diameter. Seed one, globose, 5–6 mm in diameter.

SADIRIA LONGISTYLA Phytotaxa 345 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press • 295 Distribution and Habitat:—Sadiria longistyla is currently only known from Tongbiguan Town, Yingjiang County, where three small subpopulations were discovered in an area of ca. 700 m2. It grows in the damp area under the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest in valleys at elevation range of 1350–1630 m. Phenology:—Flowering from November to April of the next year, and fruiting all over the year, i.e. young fruits can be seen since May, and become red and blackish red in April of the next year. Etymology:—The specific epithet “longistyla” refers to the impressively long style extending out of the petals. Other specimens examined:—CHINA. Yunnan: Yingjiang County, Tongbiguan Town, elev. 1350 m, 10 November 1974, Guo-Da Tao 013351 (KUN0245384!). Notes:—Sadiria eugenifolia var. burmanica is distributed in Myanmar and occurs in the region of Myitkyina District at an elevation of ca. 1100 m (Nayar & Giri 1974). Morphologically, it shares the floriferous inflorescences and impressively long styles of flowers with S. longistyla, but can be distinguished by morphology of the leaves on the flowering branches, inflorescences, petals and styles, length of pedicels, sepals and stamens (Table 1).

TABLE 1. Morphological comparison among Sadiria longistyla, S. eugenifolia var. burmanica and S. aberrans. Characters S. longistyla S. eugenifolia var. burmanica S. aberrans Number, shape and size of 2–4, elliptic to obovate, 13–17 ca. 8, lanceolate to oblong, 8–12.5 > 5, narrowly elliptic or the leaves on the flowering × 4.5–6 cm × 2–4 cm oblanceolate, 17–23 × 5–9 cm branches Lateral veins 13–20 pairs 11–13 pairs 18–23 pairs Leaf margin slightly crisped and shallowly flat and entire flat and entire crenate Inflorescences fasciculate cymose, ca. 2.5 subfasciculate cymose, ca. 1 cm subfasciculate cymose or cm long long subpaniculate, ca. 1 cm long Pedicels 6–8 mm long 1.5 mm long 2–3 mm long Sepals 0.5 mm long, 1/8 length of the < 0.5 mm long, 1/3–1/2 length of 1 mm long, 1/3 length of the petals the petals petals Petals 4 mm long, 3/4 united 1 mm long, 1/2 united 3 mm long, 1/2 united Stamens ca. 2.5 mm long, 3/5 length of ca. 0.5 mm long, 1/2 length of the ca. 2.5 mm long, 5/6 length of the the petals petals petals Styles obviously exerted, twice obviously exerted, three times included or slightly exerted at the length of the petals at the end length of the petals at the end of end of flowering of flowering flowering

The recently transferred Sadiria aberrans is the only representative of this genus in China (Hu & Deng 2012). As an endemic species, it is restricted to the Pingbian County, southeast Yunnan and occurs in the damp area under the evergreen broad-leaved forests in valleys at elevation range of 1100–1360 m (Chen 1977, 1979, Chen & Pipoly 1996). Despite the similarity in the distribution and habitat, it is distinguishable from this new species by the morphology of the leaves on the flowering branches, inflorescences, petals and styles, length of pedicels, sepals and stamens (Table 1). An identification key for all taxa of Sadiria is provided here.

Key to the taxa of Sadiria

1. Petals connate up to 5/6 of the length, flowers 6–7 mm ...... S. solanifolia - Petals connate 1/2–3/4 of the length, flowers <5 mm ...... 2 2. Leaves subsessile ...... S. subsessilifolia - Leaves distinctly petiolate ...... 3 3. Sepals elliptic or lanceolate, margin minutely ciliate ...... 4 - Sepals triangular-ovate, margin ciliate or serrulate ...... 5 4. Leaves with subentire margin, petioles ca. 0.4 cm, petals rounded ...... S. erecta var. erecta - Leaves with distinct dentate margin, petioles 1–1.2 cm, petals acute ...... S. erecta var. longipetiolata 5. Branches and leaf blades glabrous, petioles 1.5–5 cm ...... S. boweri - Branches and leaf blades puberulous beneath, petioles usually <1 cm ...... 6 6. Styles obviously exerted at the end of flowering ...... 7 - Styles included or slightly exerted at the end of flowering ...... 8 7. Leaves on the flowering branches 2–4, inflorescences ca. 2.5 cm long, pedicels ca. 6–8 mm long, sepals 1/8 length of the petals, petals ca. 4 mm long and 3/4 united ...... S. longistyla - Leaves on the flowering branches ca. 8, inflorescences ca. 1 cm long, pedicels ca. 1.5 mm long, sepals 1/3–1/2 length of the petals, petals ca. 1 mm long and 1/2 united ...... S. eugenifolia var. burmanica 8. Anthers ovate, apex with an excurrent connective ...... S. eugenifolia var. eugenifolia - Anthers lanceolate or narrowly triangular-ovate, apex without an excurrent connective ...... 9

296 • Phytotaxa 345 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press WANG ET AL. 9. Leaf base broadly cuneate to sub-rounded, lateral veins 18–23 pairs ...... S. aberrans -. Leaf base narrowly cuneate, lateral veins 7–11 pairs ...... S. griffithii

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. S. Liao of East China Normal University and the staff of the librarians of both Kunming Institute of Botany and South China Botanical Garden for their help in transferring documents, and to the curators of A, E, K, KUN, P, PE and US for providing online photos or specimens for our study. Special thanks are given to Prof. H. Peng for his suggestions in the specific epithet of the new species. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 31500168) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry Research Special Project (201207002).

References

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