Ilex gansuensis D.Y. Hong, 2015

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 : 159-160

9. Ilex gansuensis D.Y. Hong , sp. nov. (I. sect. Paltoria). Figure 4 . Type:— CHINA. Gansu Prov., Wenxian County, Bikou, Bifenggou, 1500 m, forests, 30. Aug. 1992, X. Wang 432 (holotype: PE)

Evergreen trees, glabrous throughout except for calyx. Branchlets pale brown; current year’s shoots white-powdered. Petiole 1.5–2 cm long, white-powdered; leaf blade white-powdered above, brown beneath, broadly elliptic or broadly lanceolate, 7–9 cm long, 2.5–3.5 cm broad, base rounded, margin sparsely serrate, or serrate only in upper part, apex acuminate or acute. Male inflorescences unknown. Infructescences solitary in axils of leaves or scales on second and current year’s growths, in a cyme of 1 fruit; bracts in lower, middle or upper part of infructescence axis; peduncle 1–3 cm long; pedicel 1–1.5 cm long. Fruit globose, 5–7 mm in diameter; persistent calyx ca. 4 mm across, 4-lobed, sparsely hispidulous-ciliate; persistent stigma sessile, 2-lobed. Pyrenes 3, smooth, trigonous in cross-section, 5 mm long, 2 mm across.

The new species should have its position in I. sect. Paltoria because of having solitary female flowers, axillary on current and second year’s growths, and the flowers 4-merous. Within the section it is very distinct in having a long peduncle plus pedicel and glabrous shoots and leaves.

The new species is known only from the type from the northern Hengduan Mts region (SE Gansu Province:

Wenxian County).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Ilex gansuensis D. Y. Hong, a new species from SE Gansu of China: a. a branch; b. a fruit; c. a pyrene.