Herminium gongshanense X.H. Jin, A. Schuit. & C. Ye, 2022

Ye, Chao, Pandey, Tirtha Raj & Jin, Xiao-Hua, 2022, Herminium gongshanense (Orchidaceae), a new species from China, Phytotaxa 570 (1), pp. 95-100 : 99

Herminium gongshanense X.H. Jin, A. Schuit. & C. Ye , sp. nov. ( Fig. 2 , 3 ).

Type. CHINA. Yunnan, Gongshan County, road pass to Dulongjiang , alpine meadow, 3400-3600 m, July 29, 2013, Jin et al. ST1381 (holotype: PE, isotype: PE) .

Diagnosis. Herminium gongshanense is morphologically similar to H. singulum Tang & F.T.Wang but differs from it by having peduncle without bract-like leaflet, linear-oblong dorsal sepal, falcate-lanceolate petals erect, ovate and concave lip, filamentous staminodes.

Terrestrial herbs. Plant 8-9 cm high. Tubers globose-ellipsoid, fleshy, ca. 0.5 × 0.6 cm. Stem erect, with 1 tubular sheath at base. Leaf one, basal, long elliptic, 3.5-4.5 × 0.5-0.8 cm, 5-veined, apex acuminate, base into sheath. Inflorescence erect, terminal, racemose, glabrous, 2-2.5 cm long, with laxly 3-5 flowers. Floral bracts long-elliptic, 3- 5 × 0.8-1.2 mm, shorter than pedicel and ovary, glabrous, apex acuminate. Flowers yellowish green, erect; pedicel and ovary 4-5 mm long; ovary fusiform, distinctly hooked toward apex. Dorsal sepal linear-oblong, concave, 2.5-3 × 0.8-1 mm, apex obtuse; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, concave, ca. 3-3.5 × 1-1.6 mm, apex subacute. Petals erect, falcatelanceolate, connate with column, 2-3 veined, 2.5-3 × 0.8-1 mm, apex obtuse; lip ovate, groove, 3-lobed, lateral-lobes surrounding column, mid-lobe edge wavy, ca. 3-3.5 × 1-1.5mm, apex obtuse; spur obovoid, ca. 1.5-2 × 0.8-1 mm, apex shallowly 2-lobed. Column erect, ca. 1-1.5 mm tall; anther adnate to apex of column, 2-locular, locules parallel; viscidia elliptic; rostellum small, ca. 0.2 mm; stigma 1, concave, beneath rostellum; staminodes 2, filamentous, ca. 0.5-0.7 mm long, placed laterally at base of column, base connate with petals.

Etymology. The name gongshanense is derived from the type locality of the new species, Gongshan County, Yunnan. The Chinese name is given as “ffiƜfflĝẑ” (Chinese pinyin: gòng shân jiǎo pán lán).

Distribution and habitat. Heminium gongshanense was discovered in Gongshan County, Yunnan and Luozha Country, Tibet, China. It grows on alpine meadow at elevations of 3400-4200m.

Phenology. Flowering in July—August.

Conservation status. During fieldwork, two populations with less than 100 individuals were discovered.Although this new species is far from any direct threat, the area of occupancy is small, therefore the conservation status is considered as EN.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Herminium gongshanense A habitat B dorsal sepal C petals D lateral sepals E column F lip and spur. Drawn by Gan-Yang Yu.

FIGURE 3. Herminium gongshanense A habitat B dissected flower C lateral sepals with part of the ovary D–E column F petals G dorsal sepals H lip and spur I ovary J lateral sepals K spur. Photographed by Dong-Liang Lin.