Aspidistra cleistantha D. X. Nong & H. Z. Lü, 2018

Aspidistra cleistantha D. X. Nong & H. Z. Lü View in CoL , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 )

The new species most closely resembles Aspidistra longgangensis Lin et al. (2015: 377) in the shape of flower and the perigone lobes with basal appendages, but it can be clearly distinguished by perigone tube (25–28 mm vs. 10–15 mm), perigone lobes (adaxial white vs. pale yellow), basal appendages (1.5–2 mm long vs. 3–5 mm long, with incurved apex) and stigma (mushroom-shaped, central convex, margin slightly 6–8-lobed vs. bowl-like, central slightly concave, margin 12–16-lobed). In addition, A. longgangensis shows thicker and larger leaf blade. Aspidistra cleistantha is also similar to A. tubiflora Tillich (2006: 141) , described from northern Vietnam, which shows a long tubular perigone tube. However, the latter species strongly differs in leaf shape, pistil shape and length, stigma shape and should not be considered as a closely related species.

Type:— CHINA. Guangxi: [originally collected from Guangxi, Ningming County, Longgang National Natural Reserve, Longshan area , limestone mountains, rare, 220 m a.s.l., 9 December 2012, H. Z. Lü et al. 140449-1] Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, cultivated, 4 May 2018, D. X. Nong 180504001 (holotype, GXMG!; isotype, GXMG!) .

Perennial, evergreen, rhizomatous herb. Rhizome creeping, with very short internodes, epigeous, ca. 10 mm thick, with many swollen roots; roots white, up to 30 cm long, diameter 1.5–2 mm, with dense hairs. Vaginal leaves 3–4, purple-red, 1–12 cm long, enveloping the base of the petiole, becoming brown when dry. Leaves solitary, spaced; petiole stiffly upright, light green with purple dots at the base, adaxially sulcate, 21–30 cm long, 2–3.5 mm thick; leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 15–33 cm long, 6–9 cm wide, its base decurrent into petiole, inequilateral, apex acuminate, with 5–7 secondary veins at both sides of the midvein; the midvein and the secondary veins somewhat prominent at lower surface. Peduncle decumbent, 2–4.5 cm long, purple spotted, with 4–5 bracts; bracts gradually wider from base to apex of peduncle, the two upper bracts adjoining to perigone broadly ovate, white with densely purple spots at dorsal surface, 2–2.2 cm long, ca. 1.5 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers solitary, smelly; perigone widely tubular, fleshy; lobes 8 (occasionally 6), spreading, subequal, lanceolate, acuminate, 25–28 mm long, 3.5–5 mm broad at base, abaxially purple-red mottled, adaxially white but frequently with purplish mottled, each lobe basally with an adaxial appendage; appendages toothlike, 1.5–2 mm long, their bases explanate protruding horizontally over the tube opening and reducing the opening to 3–4 mm; tube 25–28 mm long, diameter 10–13 mm, slightly widened at the base, externally white at lower third part, distally part with densely purplish spots, internally white at basal third, distally part purplish mottled. Stamens 8(–6), opposite to lobes, subsessile, inserted at ca. 3 mm from the base of the perigone tube; anther oblong, 1–1.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. Pistil mushroom-shaped, 5–7 mm long; ovary indistinct; style cylindrical, ca. 1 mm long; stigma dilated, white, diameter ca. 10 mm, 5–6 mm thick, the central part convex and with 4(–3) radial, bifurcate lines, slightly 6–8-lobed at margin, abaxially longitudinally 12–16-ridged. Flowering in cultivation from April to May. Fruits unknown.

Etymology:—The species epithet refers to the nearly closed flowers.

Distribution:—The species is rare in the type locality, grows on shaded rocky limestone slopes at 220 m elevation.