Glochidion shanense Gang Yao & Shixiao Luo, 2018

Yao, Gang, Cai, Jie, Wu, Youheng, Yang, Xuefei, Oo, Thaung Naing, Moe, Aung Zaw & Luo, Shixiao, 2018, Taxonomic studies of Glochidion (Phyllanthaceae) from the Indo-China Peninsula (I): G. shanense, a new species from Myanmar, PhytoKeys 96, pp. 57-62 : 58

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.96.24497

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D08E1ECD-5EC3-235E-5661-03CC073D9110

treatment provided by

PhytoKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Glochidion shanense Gang Yao & Shixiao Luo
status

sp. nov.

Glochidion shanense Gang Yao & Shixiao Luo sp. nov. Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2

Diagnosis.

The species is similar to G. ellipticum Wight in morphology, but differs from the latter by its branchlets pubescent, pedicels of female flowers 1.5-2 mm long, sepals of female flowers uniseriate and narrowly triangular, apex of style truncate slightly, persistent style of fruit stout and cylindric.

Type.

MYANMAR. Shan State, Pindaya, near the Htwet Ni village, West of Pindaya town, at an elevation of 1396 m, forest understory, in flowering and fruiting, 25 December 2015, Jie Cai et al. 15CS10794 (holotype, KUN!; isotype, KUN!, IBSC!)

Description.

Shrubs or treelets, up to 2 m; monoecious; branchlets pubescent. Leaf blade oblong or elliptic, 9-13.5 × 4.5-6.5 cm, papery, slightly leathery, with apex acuminate to round and base broadly cuneate, sparsely pubescent along veins adaxially, pubescent abaxially; midvein and 6-9-paired lateral veins elevated abaxially. Petiole 3-4 mm long, pubescent. Stipules narrowly triangular, 2-4 mm long, pubescent. Male flowers: pedicels 6-10 mm long, densely tomentose; sepals 6, biseriate, oblong or ovate, densely tomentose; stamens 3. Female flowers: in axillary clusters, pedicels 1.5-2 mm long, densely strigose; sepals 6, uniseriate, narrowly triangular, densely strigose; ovary depressed globose, 4-5-locular, densely strigose; style connate into a cylinder, ca. 1 mm long, slightly truncate at apex, apex 4-5-lobed. Capsules depressed globose, 8-9 mm in diameter, ca. 4 mm high, sparsely pubescent, 8-10-grooved; persistent style cylindric, ca. 1 mm long; fruiting pedicels 4-5 mm long, stout, densely pubescent; seed laterally compressed, orange.

Distribution and habitat.

This new species is currently known only from its type locality, Shan State, eastern Myanmar, where it grows in the broadleaved and coniferous dry forest dominated by Docynia indica (Wall.) Decne., Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. and Pinus species.

Etymology.

Glochidion shanense is named after its type locality, Shan State in eastern Myanmar.

Taxonomic discussion.

The species resembles Glochidion ellipticum Wight, a species widely distributed from eastern Himalaya to Taiwan Island, but differs from the latter by its branchlets densely pubescent (Figure 2G View Figure 2 ), pedicels of male flowers tomentose, pedicels of female flowers densely strigose and up to 1.5-2 mm long (Figures 2A, D View Figure 2 ), sepals of female flower uniseriate and narrowly triangular in shape (Figures 2A, D View Figure 2 ), ovaries 4-5-locular, style cylindric and truncate at apex (Figure 2D View Figure 2 ), fruits 8-9 mm in diameter and 8-10-grooved (Figure 2G View Figure 2 ), persistent styles cylindric and ca. 1 mm long (Figure 2G View Figure 2 ). In contrast, G. ellipticum has the branchlets glabrous (Figures 2B, H View Figure 2 ), pedicels of male flowers glabrous (Figure 2H View Figure 2 ), female flowers sessile (Figures 2B, E View Figure 2 ), sepals of female flowers biseriate and oblong in shape (Figure 2B View Figure 2 ), ovaries 3-4 (5)-locular, style columnar to columnar-conical (Figures 2B, E View Figure 2 ), fruits 6-8(rarely up to 10) mm in diameter and shallowly 6-8 (rarely 10)-grooved (Figure 2H View Figure 2 ), persistent styles obscure or slightly elevated but far less than 1 mm long (Figure 2H View Figure 2 ).