Peliosanthes pseudoreflexa H. Z. Feng, 2025

Peliosanthes pseudoreflexa H. Z. Feng sp. nov. ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 )

Diagnosis: — P. pseudorevoluta is morphologically similar to P. torulosa , sharing revolute perianth segments, a glabrous and terete style, and an incompletely septate trilocular ovary. However, P. pseudorevoluta critically differs in having revolute perianth segments that never contact the receptacle (vs. strongly revolute, receptacle-contacting segments with folded margins in P. torulosa ), a hexagonal (vs. cylindrical) ovary cross-section, articulated pedicels lacking the basal stalky portion above the joint (vs. pedicels with a distinct 2 mm upper and 7–9 mm lower articulation), and solitary flowers per bract (vs. multiple flowers per bract).

Type:— CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Fangchenggang City, Fangcheng District, Huaqiao Forest Farm, Guanyin Temple ( Ṋfiŝ), collected in nature by H.Z. Feng & N.X. Lin, the herbarium type specimen was prepared from cultivated plants in 26 December 2024, H.Z. Feng 24-1226 ( holotype: SYS!).

Description:—Terrestrial perennial herb from simple or a few branched subterranean rhizome 1 – 4 (6) cm long and 2 – 4 mm in diam., bearing fleshy roots. The above-ground stem is barely visible, very short, less than 5 mm tall. Leaves erect to arching, petiolate, to 25 – 34 cm tall; petiole rigid, slightly curved to almost straight, terete, (12) 14 – 16 (18.5) cm long, ca. 2.5 mm in diam.; leaf blade elliptic, attenuate at base, shortly acuminate with subacute apex, entire and sometimes undulate along margins, glabrous, glossy, uniformly green on both sides, somewhat firm, (17) 18 – 21 (22) cm long, (4.7) 5.3 – 6.5 (7.3) cm wide, longitudinally often slightly pleated. Inflorescence a terminal, sparse raceme; peduncle ascending, slightly curved, ca. 15.3 cm long, ca. 3.5 mm in diam., mauve, bracteate; the sterile bracts 1 (based on holotype), deltoid, acuminate, ca. 0.6 cm long, ca. 3 mm wide; sparse, no more than 20 flowers, mauve, ca. 10.5 cm long. Floral bracts 2, mauve, scarious; bract triangular, concave, acuminate, ca. 4 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide; bracteole lateral ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 0.8 mm wide. Flowers fuchsia, solitary campanulate; base of flower shallowly cup-shaped, ca. 5.2 mm in diam., 3.5 mm height, jointed with a articulation to downward-curving pedicel and the pedicel ca. 0.2‒0.4 cm long, 1 mm in diam. Perianth segments elliptical, ca. 3.8 mm long and ca. 2.4 mm wide; the margin with irregularly finely undulate. Corona fuchsia, proximally obtusely 6-angulate or shallowly 6-lobed, almost erect, ca. 4.4 mm in diam., ca. 2.4 mm high, the orifice ca. 1.5 mm in diam.; the corona hexagonal on the inside in the cross section at the base, with the thickest part being about 0.5 mm and the thinnest part being about 0.17 mm. Anthers 6, introrse, oblong, 0.4‒0.6 mm long, sessile, light yellowish. Pistil ca. 3.2 mm long; ovary superior, base hexagonal in transverse section, flask-shaped in longitudinal section, surface smooth and with 3 cracks, ca. 1.3 mm high, ca. 3.3 mm in diam., the interior imperfectly partitioned into 3 chambers by 3 septa almost touching along inward edges; each chamber adaxially slightly open with narrow longitudinal slit, containing 4 ovules on a basal placenta; style cylindrical, ca. 1.6 mm long, stigma inconspicuously three-lobed.

Etymology:—The species epithet refers to the reflexed tepals.

Habitat, phenology and conservation status:—Usually on shady, rich in humus in primary or secondary lowland broad-leaved evergreen forests on granite valley at elevations 300–400 m a.s.l. Flowers in December–January in cultivation. Locally common. IUCN Red List status tentatively assessed as LC.

Distribution:—Southern China: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Fangchenggang City, Fangcheng District. Endemic.

Additional specimens examined:— Peliosanthes pseudoreflexa . CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Fangchenggang City, Fangcheng District, Huaqiao Forest Farm, Guanyin Temple (Ṋfiŝ), H.Z. Feng & N.X. Lin 24–1004 (living cultivated plant). Peliosanthes retroflexa . VIETNAM. Quang Binh Province: Minh Hoa District, Dan Hoa Municipality, Giang Man Ridge (Vietnam-Laos border) near Cha Lo Vietnam-Lao border gate, Averyanov & Vladimirovich HAL12374.1 ( holotype LE01049430 photo!; isotype LE01049390 photo!).

Notes:— Peliosanthes pseudorevoluta is morphologically similar to P. torulosa , sharing the following traits: revolute perianth segments, a glabrous and terete style, and an incompletely septate, trilocular ovary. Although the perianth segments of P. pseudorevoluta are also revolute, they never contact the receptacle, whereas those of P. torulosa strongly revolute, contacting the receptacle with folded margins—a feature absent in P. pseudorevoluta . Additionally, the ovary cross-section is hexagonal in the new species but cylindrical in P. torulosa . While P. torulosa has pedicels with a distinct articulation (portion above the articulation ca. 2 mm long, portion below ca. 7–9 mm long, Fig. 6 A View FIGURE 6 , blue arrow), the new species lacks the basal stalky part of the perianth above the articulation despite having an articulated pedicel ( Fig. 5 E View FIGURE 5 , blue arrow). A critical diagnostic difference is that the new species bears only one flower per bract, contrasting with the multiple flowers per bract in P. torulosa .

In the distribution area of P. pseudorevoluta , there is another plant of the same genus— P. reflexa . Based on Tamura et al. (2008), this species has a reflexed perianth, with flowers drooping or descending, which is similar to the new species. However, the corona of P. reflexa is dark purple, and the style is conical with six ribs. In P. retroflexa Aver. & N.Tanaka (2012: 161) the perianth also reflexed, but the perianth olive green, style conical and with 6 broad notched lobes in free upper part. These characteristics show significant differences from the new species, making them easy to distinguish.