var. densiglomerata (W.T.Wang) Friis & Wilmot-Dear

n. var. densiglomerata (W.T.Wang) Friis & Wilmot-Dear , comb. & stat. nov. — Fig. 29 View Fig ; Map 30 View Map 30

Basionym: Boehmeria densiglomerata W.T.Wang,Acta Bot. Yunnanica View in CoL 3, 4 (1981b) 408. ― Type: S.S. Sin 844 (holo IBSC), China, Guangxi, Dayaoshan, 24 June 1928 .

Perennial herb, 0.3–0.5 m, branched or not; ultimate stems 1–1.5 mm diam, hairs sparse, adpressed, short, fine, soon glabrous. Stipules 5–9 mm long. Leaves broadly ovate-cordate to ovate-truncate, not or slightly asymmetrical, relatively small (3.5–)5–10 by (3–) 5–7.5 cm, length only 1.1–1.25 × width; margin dentate, teeth few, 10–13 either side, large 2–4 by 4–5 mm, acute or mucronate, usually outward-pointing (their upper margin straight); leaf apex with abrupt acumen, this relatively short (≤ 1 cm), narrow and consisting entirely or mostly of a single tooth; base cordate or truncate, not or slightly asymmetrical; texture membranous or very thin-chartaceous; adaxial surface rather shiny with scattered adpressed hairs like stem, abaxial surface recorded as purple when live, with less sparse hairs; petiole often very long for leaf-size, 0.7–1 × lamina length. Inflorescence-bearing axes 1 per axil, mostly unisexual, male and bisexual axes 2–5.5(–7) cm long often with several short branches at base, female axes unbranched, 1.5–4(–4.5) cm long with clusters usually so densely congested along the axis that individual clusters are indistinguishable (axis thus rather thick, c. 3 mm diam in fruit); each cluster with less than 10 densely crowded flowers; bracts inconspicuous. Fruiting perianth broadly obconical, small, c. 1 by 0.5 mm, ± 3-angled or slightly laterally flattened, distal part ± inflated into collar and hairy like stem with abrupt minute beak, lower part rugulose.

Distribution ― Southern and south-western China.

Habitat & Ecology ― Forests, thickets, often in marshy places and along streams; 200–700(–1200) m altitude.

Notes ― 1. As discussed (Note 5-xi–xiii under the species as a whole), the leaves of var. densiglomerata are closely similar only to those of var. sumatrana and var. strigosa . It is distinctive in its congested female axes and fewer marginal teeth. Only 13 collections clearly referable to this variety have been seen; material intermediate between this and var. strigosa has been seen from Vietnam (outside the known distribution of var. densiglomerata ), making formal conservation status assessment not meaningful. The variety is probably at risk from the increasing pressure on natural habitats in these parts of China.

2. As discussed under the subspecies (see Note 11), var. densiglomerata can be confused with small forms of the partly sympatric ( China, Japan) B. japonica .