Loropetalum axillare Y. S. Chen & Y. C. Xu, 2023

Jin, Zi-Chao, Xu, Lian-Sheng, Xu, Ye-Chun & Chen, You-Sheng, 2023, Loropetalum axillare (Hamamelidaceae), a new species from Guangdong, China, Phytotaxa 622 (1), pp. 85-94 : 86-89

Loropetalum axillare Y. S. Chen & Y. C. Xu , sp. nov. ( Figs. 4 & 5 )

Type:— China. Guangdong: Guangzhou, Zengcheng District, Dafengmen Scenic Area , growing by the stream in the valley, elev. 200–400 m, 11 September 2022, Y. S. Chen, Y. C. Xu et Y. P. Zeng 22241 (Holotype: IBSC0904409 ; isotypes: IBSC0904410 , IBSC0904411 , PE; Fig. 6 ) .

Description:— Shrubs or small trees, ca. 2 m tall, much branched; branchlets densely stellately pubescent. Stipules triangular-lanceolate, 2–3 × 0.5–1 mm, stellately pubescent; petioles 2–4 mm long, stellately pubescent; leaf narrow blade ovate, narrow elliptic, 2–6.5 × 1–2 cm, margin entire, apex acuminate, base oblique; abaxially densely stellately pubescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent or stellately pubescent, lateral veins 3–5 on each side, abaxially prominent. Inflorescence axillary; 3–6-flowered; peduncle absent; bracts linear or lanceolate, 2–4.5 mm long; flowers nearly sessile; coexistence with leaves. Floral cup cupular, stellately pubescent, 1.2–2 mm. Sepals ovate, 2–3 mm long. Petals 3–5, white, 0.5–1 cm long, linear, apex obtuse or rounded. Stamens 4, ca. 1 mm long, filaments very short, connective elongated into a horn, 0.1–0.2 mm long, anthers ovoid. Capsules globose or ovoid, 3–7 × 4–8 mm, densely stellately pubescent, hairs brown, apex rounded, adnate to floral cup for 1/3–1/4 of their length. Seeds brownish black, ovoidglobose or ellipsoid, 4–5 × 2–3 mm.

Phenology:— Flowering in September.

Vernacular name:— Ḟfflff+, guang zhou ji mu in Chinese Pinyin.

Etymology:— The specific epithet ‘ axillare ’ refers to the axillary inflorescence.

Distribution and habitat:— Loropetalum axillare is currently only known from the Dafengmen Scenic Area, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China ( Figure 7 ). It grows by the stream in the valley at elevations of 200–400 m above sea level.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Loropetalum axillare in the wild (Dafengmen Scenic Area, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou, Guangdong). A. Habitat. B. Habitat. C–H. Synflorescence. I–J. Capsules. A–J: All photos by You-Sheng Chen based on Y. S. Chen, Y. C. Xu et Y. P. Zeng 22241 (IBSC).

FIGURE 5. Loropetalum axillare. A. Branch. B. Adaxial leaf. C. Abaxial leaf. D. Branchlet. E. Synflorescence. F. Flower. G. Flower. H. Stamens. I. Staminodes and styles. J. Stamens. K. Cross section of the ovary. L. Capsules. M. Capsule. N. Seeds. A–N: all photos by Zi- Chao Jin based on the type, Y. S. Chen, Y. C. Xu et Y. P. Zeng 22241 (IBSC).

FIGURE 6. Type of Loropetalum axillare (China. Guangdong: Guangzhou, Zengcheng District, Dafengmen Scenic Area, elev. 200–400 m, 11 September 2022, Y. S. Chen, Y. C. Xu et Y. P. Zeng 22241). A–B. Holotype (IBSC0904409), C. Isotype (IBSC0904411), D. Isotype (IBSC0904410).

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Loropetalum axillare (red circle).