Ilex micrococca Maximowicz

Hong, De-Yuan, 2015, A taxonomical revision of Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) in the Pan-Himalaya and unraveling its distribution patterns, Phytotaxa 230 (2), pp. 151-171 : 161-162

12. Ilex micrococca Maximowicz (1881: 39, pl. 1, fig. 6). Type:— JAPAN. not designated

Ilex micrococca var. polyneura Handel-Mazzetti (1933: 654) . Ilex polyneura (Hand.-Mazz.) S.Y. Hu (1949: 263), syn. nov. Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, “gegenüber im Tjiontsonlumba,” 28. Jun. 1916, Handel-Mazzetti 9121 (holotype: WU; isotype: W).

In spite of her statement that the type of Ilex polyneura is specimen T.T. Yü 22918 which was not used by Handel-Mazzetti (1933), Hu (1949) explicitly based I. polyneura as a new combination on I. micrococca var. polyneura which is its basionym, so that Art. 7.3 of the ICN applies and that type statement has no standing. Hu stated that I. polyneura resembles I. micrococca , but they “differ chiefly in their venation, petioles, and inflorescences”. “In I. micrococca the lateral nerves are 6–8 pairs, the petiole flat above, and the inflorescence twice or thrice trichotomous with prominent secondary axes which are always longer than the pedicel. In I. polyneura the lateral nerves vary from 11 to 20 pairs, the petiole is deeply and narrowly sulcate above, and the inflorescence is pseudo-umbelliform, but when secondary axes develop, they are always shorter than the pedicel.” The present author examined 10 collections identified by Tseng as I. micrococca and found that the lateral nerves mostly 8 pairs, but 9 pairs in four collections, and even 10 pairs in two collections, and actually the lateral nerves vary from 5 to 10 pairs. All 10 collections have secondary axes which are always longer than or equal to pedicel. Tertiary axes are present in five collections and they are longer than, equal to, or shorter than pedicel. I also examined 10 collections identified as I. polyneura by the authors of Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae and Flora of China, Chen and Feng (8 collections) and Hu (2 collections). The lateral nerves are 10 or 11 pairs, but 7 (1 collection), 8 (2) and 9 (3) pairs also occur. The secondary axes are present in six collections, both present and absent in two collections, absent in two. The secondary axes are shorter than the pedicel in one collection, equal to the pedicel in one collection, longer than the pedicel in two collections and in the other four collections, that is to say, three states occur. In three collections there are no secondary axes or they are shorter than the pedicel (typical of I. polyneura ), lateral nerves are 8, 9, 10 and 11, bridging the two “species”. It seems impossible to draw any clear line among the 20 collections.

Representative specimens examined:— N HENGDUAN: Songpan, 25. Aug. 1928, W. P. Fang 6029 ( PE). S HENGDUAN: Bijiang , Yueliangtian , 1800 m, 30. Aug. 1964, S. K. Wu 8523 ( KUN) ; Fugong, Guqian , 1600 m, 12. Jun. 1982, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 7291 (KUN, PE) ; Gongshan, Binzhongluo , 04. Jul. 1982, Qinghia-Xizang Exped. 7895 (KUN, PE) ; Lushui, Pianma to Pass , 2100 m, 03. Aug. 1978, Bijiang Exped. 1601 ( KUN) ; Miyi, Malong , 2300 m, 06. Jul. 1983, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 11756 (KUN, PE) ; Tianqian, Sijing , 10. Nov. 1953, W. K. Hu & Z. He 11955 ( PE) ; Weixi, Yezhi , 2100–2200 m, 05. Jul. 1982, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 6288 (KUN, PE) ; Yanbian, Zhemulong Township , 2250 m, 14. Sept. 2002, X. F. Gao et al. 3505 ( PE) ; Yangbi, Huajiazhuang, 31. Oct. 1940, C. R. Ching 25401 (KUN, PE). U IRRAWADDY: Hpimaw , 26°N, 98°40 ′ E, 2743 m, Sept. 1924, G. Forrest 24998 (E) ; Tengchong , 25°20 ′ N, 2440 m, Dec. 1924, G. Forrest ( PE) .