Lasianthus chinensis (Champ.) Benth.

20. Lasianthus chinensis (Champ.) Benth. View in CoL — Map 4 View Map 4

Lasianthus chinensis (Champ.) Benth. (1861) View in CoL 160; Hook.f. (1880) 187; F.B. Forbes & Hemsl. (1888) 388; T.Yamaz. (1964) 352; T.S.Liu & J.M.Chao (1964) 124, f. 4; J.M. Chao (1978) 286; H. Zhu (1994) 67; H.J.Li & H.Y.Liu (1998) 280; H.S. Lo (1999) 84, pl. 22: 1–5; H.Zhu (2001b) 123; (2002) 88. — Mephitidia chinensis Champ. (1852) View in CoL 196. —

Type (): Champion? 112 (lecto K; isolecto NY, designated by Zhu 2001b), Hongkong; Champion s.n. (para K), Hongkong .

Lasianthus dinhensis Pierre ex Pit. (1924) View in CoL 388. — Syntypes: Poilane 283 (P), Cambodge [ Cambodia], Kampot; Pierre 3257 (BM, K, MO, P), Cochi- nchina [ Vietnam], Baria .

Lasianthus dinhensis Pierre ex Pit. var. tonkinensis Pit. (1924) 388. — Syn- types: Balansa 640 (K, P), Vietnam: Tonkin, Ouonbi; Laos: Poilane 2327 ( BM, K, P), Tranninh.

Lasianthus dinhensis Pierre ex Pit.var. glabrescens Pierre ex Pit.(1924) 388. — Type: Pierre 3258 (holo P), Cochinchina [ Vietnam] .

Mephitidia odajimae Masam. (1934) 211. — Lasianthus chinensis (Champ.) Benth.var. odajimae (Masam.) Kaneh.(1936) 669. — Type not designated.

Shrubs, 1–4 m tall; branches and branchlets terete, densely pubescent. Leaves: blades subcoriaceous, oblong, 15– 25 by 4–7 cm, apex acute or acuminate, base acute or obtuse, margin usually reflexed, glabrous above, thinly to densely pubescent beneath, midrib and nerves flat above, prominent beneath, nerves 9–15 pairs, ascending at an angle of 60–70°, curved to the margin, nervules distinct above, distinct and prominent beneath, reticulate; petioles 1–1.5 cm long, pubescent. Stipules triangular, 2 – 3 mm long, pubescent. Cymes sessile; bracts absent; 4–6-flowered. Flowers sessile; calyx elongated campanulate, 5–7 mm long, with 4–6 triangular-ovate or orbicular reflexed lobes; corolla white, 10–15 mm long, hirsute outside, lobes 5– 6, lanceolate. Drupes pubescent, 8 mm diam, with 5 –6 conspicuous longitudinal angles; pyrenes 5– 6.

Distribution — China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Philippines (Palawan).

Note — Lasianthus chinensis is easily confused with L. verticillatus . This confusion has occurred in many references. According to Bentham’s (1861) original description of L. chinensis , it has leaves with parallel nervules conspicuous on both sides and diverging from the midrib, but the type specimen has almost reticulate nervules. This may be a factor leading to the confusion. Lasianthus chinensis usually has dense pubescence on branches and leaf nerves beneath, chartaceous or subcoriaceous leaves with 10–13(–15) pairs of nerves, and reticulate nervules as well as reflexed margins, calyx with triangular, ovate or orbicular reflexed lobes, and drupes with 5 – 6 conspicuous longitudinal angles; while L. verticillatus has thin or sparse appressed-pubescence on branches and leaf nerves beneath, coriaceous leaves with 5 – 9 pairs of nerves and parallel nervules, and a cupulate, usually truncate or sometime minutely toothed calyx, and smooth and rounded drupes.