Aralia kingdon-wardii J. Wen, Lowry & Esser, 2001

Aralia kingdon-wardii J. Wen, Lowry & Esser View in CoL , nom. nov.

Gamblealongipes Merrill , Brittonia 4: 128 (1941), non Aralia longipes Truff., Rev. Hort. 1891: 224 (1891) . — Type: Kingdon-Ward (Vernay-Cutting Expedition) 179, Myanmar, forest, in shady gullies, Ngawchang valley, north of Htawgaw, 1370 m, 30 Dec. 1938, fl. (lecto-, NY! (here designated); isolecto-, A!).

Pentapanax trifoliatus K.-M. Feng, Fl. Yunnanica 2: 506 (1979). — Type: Feng 24264, China, Yunnan, Gongshan, Dulongjiang , 1200 m, Nov. 1959, fl. (holo-, KUN!).

Shrubs, climbers or epiphytes. Branches with conspicuous elliptic lenticels. Leaves exstipulate, 15-22 cm long, 12-16 cm wide, with 3 leaflets, petioles glabrous, 6-18 cm long; leaflets chartaceous, ovate, 8.5-17 × 4-10 cm, apex acuminate, base rounded, margin ciliate, blade glabrous on both surfaces, lateral veins 8-10 per side, conspicuous above and below; petiolules glabrous, those of the two lower leaflets with an inconspicuous articulation below the leaflet blade, 1-4 cm long, those of terminal leaflets inarticulate, 2.5-8 cm long. Inflorescences terminal at the branch apex, glabrous, main axis 5-15 cm long, primary branches 11-12; scales of the reproductive buds caducous; primary branches 11-17 cm long, each with 8-12 paniculately arranged umbels; peduncles of each umbel 2.2-4 cm long. Umbels 25-35- flowered, pedicels articulated, glabrous, 10-20 mm long, bracteoles absent or caducous; sepals triangular, 0.25-0.3 mm long; petals ovate, 1.6-2 mm long; stamens 5, 2.2-3 mm long; ovary 5-locular, often enlarged at anthesis; base of the style not forming a conical stylopodium-like structure. Fruits globose, strongly ribbed when dry, 5-6 mm in diameter, with persistent styles 1.5-2 mm long, slightly divided at the tip. — Fig. 1. View Fig

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — BHUTAN: Grierson & Long 3683, Sarbhang Dist., 6 km below Dara Chu, on Chirang road, 26°57’N, 90°12’E, 1810 m, shading cool broad-leaved forest, with Castanopsis , Lauraceae , etc., large woody climber, 12 Mar. 1982, y.fr. (A, 2 sheets). GoogleMaps — CHINA. Yunnan: Wen 5069, Gongshan, Dulongjiang , Bapo , 1200 m, 6 Oct. 2000 ( F). Xizang: Li & Chen 02279, Motuo Xian, Jialasha Dist., Gandaikangbuola Mtn. , north side, evergreen forest, 2100 m, 20 Dec. 1982 ( PE, 2 sheets); Li & Chen 02948, Motuo Xian, Beibeng Dist., Buqiong lakeside, on mountain slope, evergreen forest, 1500 m, 12 Mar. 1983, fl. ( PE, 2 sheets); Chen et al. 04798, Beibeng Dist., Xigong lakeside, evergreen forests, 1650 m, 10 May 1983, fr. ( PE, 2 sheets); Chen et al. 04841, same locality ( PE, 2 sheets). — INDIA. Arunachal Pradesh: Bor 19059, Aka Hill , May 1933 (ASSAM, 2 sheets); Duthie s.n., Mishmi Hills , 24 Mar. 1876 ( CAL); Kingdon-Ward 18459, Mishmi Hills, Glo Lake, Kamlang valley , big scrambling epiphyte on a tree overhanging the lake, 1070 m, 28 Mar. 1949, fl., fr. ( BM, NY); Kingdon-Ward 18506, same locality, 9 Apr. 1949, fr. ( NY); Pathak 3940, Dibang Valley , edge of forest, 1300 m, May 2001 ( CAL); Sastry 41088, Subansiri Dist., NEFA, Hapoli, Western Hills , edge of forest, 13 Apr. 1965 (ASSAM); Sastry 45390, Palin-Radang village , forests, 17 May 1966 (ASSAM). — MYANMAR. Kachin State: Keenan, Tun Aung & Tha Hla 3931, Sumprabum Sub-Division, between Hpuginhku and Ning W’Krok, banks of the Hpuginhku River , 1220 m, Mar. 1962 ( A); Kingdon-Ward 9140, Nam Tamai Valley , epiphyte or on rocks lining river, 1000-1300 m, 14 Jan. 1931, fl. ( A); Kingdon-Ward 22092, North Triangle , epiphytic, 1300 m, 31 Mar. 1953, fl. ( A).

Aralia kingdon-wardii occurs in Bhutan, NE India, N Myanmar ( Burma) and western China (Xizang and Yunnan). It blooms from December to March and fruits from March to May.

Aralia kingdon-wardii differs from its apparent close relative A. fragrans by the presence of a main inflorescence axis, racemosely (vs. umbellately) arranged umbels on the primary inflorescence branches, and glabrous (vs. pilose) pedicels. Furthermore, A. kingdon-wardii has consistently trifoliate leaves whereas those of A. fragrans have 3-7 leaflets. F ENG (1979) noted that his Pentapanax trifoliatus differs from A. fragrans by its ciliate leaflet margins and glabrous pedicels, but in fact the former feature occurs in both species.

Aralia kingdon-wardii may occasionally be autogamous. The material of Li & Chen 02948 from Xizang Prov., China, has nearly mature buds apparently close to anthesis with enlarged ovaries, which suggest that the unopened flowers have been fertilized. It also appears that the petals of A. kingdon-wardii sometimes abscise as a calyptra (Tun Aung & Tha Hla 3931, A).