Musa splendida A.Chev., Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop.

Lý, Ng ọc-Sâm, Lowry Ii, Porter P. & Haevermans, Thomas, 2018, Typification and an emended description of Musa splendida (Musaceae), Phytotaxa 351 (4), pp. 281-288 : 285-286

Musa splendida A.Chev., Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 14: 517 (1934) emend. N.S. Lý et al.

Lectotype:— VIETNAM. Tonkin : de Laokay province, Muong-Xen, 04 Décember 1913, A. Chevalier, s.n. (P: P01767056!). ( Figure 1 ).

Epitype (designated here):— VIETNAM. Haut-Tonkin: de Laokay Province, Phu Lu, 6 December 1935, M. Poilane 24969 (P, mounted on 2 sheets: P00742068!, P00742069!). ( Figure 2A, B ).

Plant growing as an isolated stem or clump-forming, slender, suckering freely (up to 8 suckers) and spreading in different directions, arising about 20–40 cm from the base of the parent plant, up to 150 cm, oriented vertically; sucker leaves mostly auriculate at base, without blotches on leaves of water suckers. Mature pseudostem 259–373 cm tall, 14– 18 cm in diam. at base, dark-purple green to black-green, shiny, predominantly light green with purple pigmentation, without wax, sap milky. Leaf habit semi-erect; petiole 37–87 cm, green, with sparse black purple blotches at base, petiole canal wide with erect margins, winged and clasping the pseudostem, petiole margins with red purple lines, 7–12 mm in width, quickly scarious. Lamina oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 152–220 × 45–69 cm, narrowing gradually toward both ends, adaxial surface dark green and shiny, abaxial surface green and dull, no visible sign of wax on either surface, lamina moderately/strongly corrugated; midrib green on dorsal surface, light green to purplish-green on ventral surface; insertion point of leaf base asymmetric, rounded on both sides, apex truncate with age; last foliage leaf with orange-red petiole. Inflorescence erect; peduncle 24–30 cm, 3.5–5.2 cm in diam., light green, glabrous or slightly pubescent; sterile bracts usually 2, ca. 29 × 8.5 cm, lanceolate, bright red to orange-red with a green leaf-like tip, quickly deciduous. Female bud somewhat ovoid-lanceolate, 24–28.5 × 13.7–14 cm; female bracts ovate-lanceolate to ovate, 16.7–19 × 7.3–7.5 cm, inner ones smaller, lifting one bract at a time to 45°, slightly grooved, lacking wax, not imbricate, base forming a small shoulder, margin not revolute, apex rounded, tip yellow to green-yellow tinted, not revolute, externally bright red to orange-red on one or both surfaces, the colour not fading towards the base of the bract. Basal flowers female, borne in 10 to 12 female hands; female flowers 3 to 6 per bract, usually 5, arranged in a row, (7.9–) 10–11.5 cm long, cylindrical, glabrous; compound tepal oblong-lanceolate, 3.9–5.5 × 1.8–3.6 cm, orange-yellow with reddish pigmentation, apex with 5 triangular lobes, tips green; the lateral lobes 2–3.5 × 2–4 mm, with a short spike-like dorsal appendage, 0.5–3.5 mm long, the 3 central lobes shorter, 1–2.5 × 1–3 mm, without an appendage; free tepal nearly as long as the compound tepal, oblong lanceolate, 4.2–5.5 × 0.8–1.3 cm, yellow, dorsally thickened, closely appressed to the stigma, margin entire and hyaline, apex rounded; stamens 5, infertile, lanceolate, short, 1–2.4 × 0.15–0.3 cm, pale yellow, inserted at the base of the style; style straight, 2.9–3.7 × 0.2–0.35 cm, inserted into the perianth, pale yellow; stigma clavate, 13–16 × 5.3–6.5 mm at broadest part, orange; ovary straight, 4.2–5.7 (–9) × 0.9–1.6 cm at broadest part, bright yellow, with no other pigmentation, smooth, waxy, 3-locular, each locule containing ovules borne in two rows; pedicel almost indistinguishable from ovary. Male peduncle in older flowers erect, 35–50 × 3–3.5 cm, glaucous green to yellow-green, bare with strongly prominent bract scars, glabrous; male bud ovoid to ovoid-lanceolate, 9–22.5 × 8–13.5 cm, bracts imbricate to convolute at the tip; male bract ovate to oblongovate, 11.1–109.2 × 5.9–12.2 cm, slightly grooved, lifting one bract at a time to 45°, lacking wax, quickly deciduous, base forming a small shoulder, margin not revolute, apex slightly pointed, tip yellow to green-yellow tinted, bright red to orange-red on both surfaces, the color fading to yellow towards the base. Male flowers 5 to 8 per bract, arranged in a row, 6.1–7.1 cm long; compound tepals oblong-lanceolate, 4.9–6.4 × 1.6–2.8 cm long, orange-yellow with reddish pigmentation, lobes 5, each with a triangular apical tooth, tip green; the 2 lateral lobes 1.5–3.5 × 2–4 mm, with a short spike-like dorsal appendage 0.5–1 mm long, the 3 central lobes shorter, 1–2.5 × 1–2.5 mm, without an appendage; male free tepal exserted, oblong-lanceolate, 5.2–6.2 × 0.7–1.3 cm, orange-yellow, thickened, smooth, margins hyaline, apex rounded; stamens 5 nearly as long as the compound tepal but not exserted; filaments oblanceolate, 26–39 × 0.9–1.5 mm, yellowish; anthers lanceolate, 15–24 × 1–2 mm, yellow; pollen white; style straight, held and at the same level as the stamens, 43–59 × ca. 0.5, yellow, with no other pigmentation; stigma clavate, 5–8 × 3–5 mm, orange; ovary very short, 0.4–0.9 × 0.4–0.8 mm, yellow, with other no pigmentation, bearing some wax, glabrous. Fruiting peduncle to 35 cm, 4–5.5 cm in diam, green, glabrous. Fruit bunch cylindrical, compact, with 5 to 12 hands, 3 to 5(or 6) fruits per hand, arranged in a row, fingers orientated pendant to the stalk with age; mature fruits obloid, sometime obovoidobloid, 4–9 cm, 1.5–3.7 cm in diam., glaucous or silvery green, lacking of wax, straight, round in cross-section, apex blunt tipped or with a short point, bearing the persistent perianth, pulp white, with numerous seeds (ca. 20 to 45 per fruit); fruiting pedicels 2–3 × ca. 0.8 cm, glaucous green, glabrous; Seeds bell- or mushroom-shaped, 5.5–7 mm high, 6.5–9 mm in diam. at broadest part, brown, wrinkled, hilum 2–3 mm wide ( Figure 3 ).

Habitat and ecology:—Secondary evergreen to open forest, often scattered on steep hills and in open areas in forest or near streams at ca. 530–700 m elevation.

Distribution:— Vietnam (Cao Bằng, Lai Châu, and Lào Cai provinces).

Vernacular names and uses:—Chuối gai, Chuối rừng hoa đỏ. Young pseudostems of Musa splendida are used as vegetables and as pig fodder. The cut inflorescence is used for decorative purposes by local people.

Additional specimens examined:— VIETNAM. Cao Bằng Province, Hòa An District , Bạch Đằng Commune , Bản Na Luôn , 22°35’16”N, 106°08’56”E, 390 m elev., 14 November 2008, T. Haevermans, N.S. Lý, T.D. Tri ệu, C.K. Lê & M. Häkkinen, TH500 (H, P, VNM), TH501 (P, VNM), TH503 ( MO, P, VNM), TH504 (P, VNM) ; Nguyên Bình District, Pioac Nature Reserve , 22°39’49”N, 106°04’17”E, 531 m elev., 16 November 2008, T. Haevermans, N.S. Lý, T.D. Tri ệu, C.K. Lê & M. Häkkinen, TH506 (H, P, VNM) ; ibidem, 22°39’42”N, 106°03’41”E, 529 m elev., 16 November 2008, T. Haevermans, N.S. Lý, T.D. Triệu, C.K. Lê & M. Häkkinen, TH507 (P, VNM); Lai Châu Province (formed Lào Cai), Tonkin, entre Phong Th ổ et Ye Yen Sim , 2 December 1937, E. Poilane 26702 (P: P02234674, P02234675, P02234676, P02234677, P02234678) ; Lào Cai Province (formed Lào Kay), Sapa District, Trung Ch ải Commune , along road from Lào Cai City to Sapa , ca. 20 km to NE of Sapa Town, 22°25’06”N, 103°54’35”E, 697 m elev., 9 November 2008, T. Haevermans, N.S. Lý, T.D.Tri ệu, C.K. Lê & M. Häkkinen, TH481 (H, P, VNM) ; ibidem, Bản Hồ Commune, along road from Sapa Town to Bản Hồ Village , 22°25’37”N, 103°55’06”E, 667 m elev., 10 November 2008, T. Haevermans, N.S. Lý, T.D. Tri ệu, C.K. Lê & M. Häkkinen, TH484 (P, VNM) ; ibidem, Tonkin: Ph ố Lu province de Lào Cai, 10 ii 1936, E. Poilane 25233 (P: P02234654, P02234655, P02234656) ; ibidem, Tonkin: Bảo Nhai et Pakha , province de Lào Kay, 10 xii 1935, E. Poilane 25025 (P: P02234657, P02234658) ; Tonkin: Pakha , province de Lao Khai, 10 xii 1935, E. Poilane 25043 (P: P01767054) ; Văn B ản District, Nam Xe municipality, nearly road between Nam Xe Village and Khau Co Pass , 22°02’26”N, 103°59’.21”E, D.K. Harder et al. 6839 ( MO); ibidem, 22°01’56”N, 103°59’.46”E, D.K. Harder et al. 6848 ( MO) .

N otes:— Musa splendida resembles M. viridis Valmayor, Danh & Häkkinen (2004: 115) , but differs in having leaves whose lamina has a base that is rounded on both sides (vs. cuneate in M. viridis ) and bracts that are orange-red to bright red and imbricate (vs. pinkish-lilac and convolute).

Figures

FIGURE 1. The holotype of Musa splendia:A. Chevalier, s.n. (P01767056).A high-resolution image is available online at: https://science. mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p01767056

FIGURE 2. The epitype designated for Musa splendida: Poilane 24969, Phu Lu pro: de Laokay, 6 December 1935 (mounted on 2 sheets: P00742068! (Fig.2A), P00742069! (Fig.2B)). A high-resolution images are available at: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/ collection/p/item/p00742069 and https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p00742068

FIGURE 3. Musa splendida. A. Plant in natural habit; B. Leaf base; C. Male bud; D. Female bud; E. Mature infructescence; F. Young infructescence and male inflorescence. G. Female ovary with stamens, style and stigma; H. Female free tepal; I. Female compound tepal; J. Male flower shows compound tepal, stamens with anthers and white pollen, style, and stigma; K. Male free tepal; L. Side view of a detailed male flower. M. Seeds. Photo by Ngọc-Sâm Lý.