Vanoverberghia sasakiana Funak. & H.Ohashi

Vanoverberghia sasakiana Funak. & H.Ohashi View in CoL — Fig. 6 View Fig ; Map 1 View Map 1

Vanoverberghia sasakiana Funak. & H.Ohashi (2000) 270. — Type: H. Funakoshi & T.­T. Chen 1936 (holo TI; iso AAU [2 sheets], K [2 sheets],TAIF [2 sheets]), Taiwan, Taitung County, Lanyu Island , Yehyou Village , Mount Hontou , 350 m, 30 Sept. 1998.

Etymology. The specific epithet honours Shun’ichi Sasaki (1888–1960), a plant collector of the Taiwan Forestry Department, who first collected this species in July 1912.

Terrestrial herb in clumps. Leafy shoot erect then arching, pseudostem 2–3 m long, base bulbose; sheath glabrous, reddish; ligule ovate, 4 – 5 mm long, coriaceous, glabrous, reddish brown, apex rounded and entire; petiole terete, 3–4 mm long, glabrous, mid-green; lamina oblong, 50–55 by 11–13 cm, veins obscure, glabrous on both sides, base attenuate, margin entire, apex caudate with flagellate tip. Inflorescence 12– 40 cm long; peduncle terete, 30–50 mm long, glabrous, mid-green, subtended by 2–3 persistent bracts; rachis terete, 5–20 cm long, glabrous, yellowish red or yellow; pedicel terete, 8–9 mm long, yellowish red to yellow; floral bract spathaceous, tubular at base, 25–27 by 10–12 mm when flattened, translucent white to yellow with brownish apex; flowers congested along rachis, white; calyx funnel-shaped, 12–13 mm long, yellowish white, apex tridentate; corolla tube 6–7 mm long, glabrous, white; corolla lobes oblong, linear-oblong, 22 by 6 mm, glabrous, white, apex rounded, cucullate; labellum connate to base of lateral corolla lobes, free part bifid or split into two subulate lobes, 12 by 2.5 mm, white, base pubescent, apices of lobes slightly bifid; lateral staminodes filiform, 10 mm long, pubescent, white; filament enclosing style for almost half its length above labellum, 25–35 mm long, white; anther oblong, 6– 2.5 mm, sericeous, white, crestless; ovary subglobose, 4–5 by 3–4 mm, glabrous, yellowish white. Fruit subglobose, 15–17 by 12–15 mm, glabrous, mid-green when mature, calyx persistent. Seed subglobose, angular, black with white aril.

Phenology — Flowering occurs between September and November although some populations bloom in June. Fruiting is between January and March.

Distribution & Habitat — Vanoverberghia sasakiana is distributed in the Philippines and Taiwan where it inhabits primary forest at 300–1400 m.

Additional specimens examined. PHILIPPINES, Luzon , G. Edaño 79204 ( NY), Cagayan, Calayan, Camiguin Island , Mount Malabsing , Mar. 1930 ; R.V. A. Docot 0182 ( FEUH), Cagayan, Calayan, Camiguin Island , Mount Camiguin de Babuyanes, 500 m, 9 Aug.2018 ; J. R. Callado s.n. ( PNH), Solsona , Ilocos Norte, 1400 m, 16 June 2014 . – TAIWAN, Taitung County, Lanyu Island . S. Sasaki s.n. ( TAI), July 1912 ; S. Sasaki s.n. ( TAI), 7 Feb.1920 ; S. Sasaki s.n. ( TAI), 20 Sept. 1933 ; C.­ T. Moo 1230 ( TAI), 30 Oct. 1934 ; C.­ T. Moo 2339 ( TAI! [3 sheets]), 20 Sept. 1972 ; C.­ E. Chang 16878 ( K), 5 Apr. 1974 ; S.­ Y. Chung 18474 ( TAIF [2 sheets]), 22 Feb. 1986 ; Tateishi et al. 15306 ( TAI), 20–350 m, 12 Nov. 1982 ; C.­ I. Huang 2452 ( HAST *), 28 Mar. 2006 ; T. C. Huang & M.­ T. Kao 5205 ( TAI), Mount Hongtou , 29 Aug. 1969 ; T. C. Huang & M. T. Kao 6200 ( TAI), Mount Hongtou , 20 Sept. 1972 ; T. C. Huang & M. T. Kao 6268 ( TAI), Mount Hongtou ; T. C. Huang & M. T. Kao 6200 ( TAI), Mount Hongtou ; C.­ S. Kuoh 4851 ( TAI), Mount Hongtou ; S.­ Y. Lu 17613 ( TAIF [3 sheets]), Mount Hongtou , 24 Oct. 1985 ; W.­ C. Leong 2481 ( HAST *), Mount Hongtou , 12 Oct. 2001 ; S.­ W. Chung 8418 ( TAIF!), Mount Hongtou , 12 Nov. 2006 ; W.­ Y. Wang 1846 ( TAIF), Mount Hongtou , 7 Oct. 2013 ; P.­ F. Lu 12731 ( HAST *, TAIF [2 sheets]), Tienchih, 22 Oct. 1985 ; M.­ J. Jung 5146 ( TAIF), Tien Pond , 27 Sept. 2010 ; M.­ J. Jung 5338 ( TAIF), 5 Jan. 2011 ; Tungching Stream , 11 Nov. 2006 ; T.­ C. Hsu 654 ( TAIF), Tungching Stream ; M.­ J. Jung 5170 ( TAIF), Tungching Stream , 20 Sept. 2010 ; S.­ Y. Lu 17540 ( TAIF [2 sheets]), 22 Oct. 1985 .

Note — The species is believed to occur also in Batan Island, Batanes (between Camiguin and Lanyu Islands ) based on field observation but a proper collection is needed to validate this .