Capparis kbangensis Sy & D.V. Hai, 2020

Sy, Danh Thuong, Hai, Do Van, Choudhary, Ritesh Kumar, Tran, The Bach, Chu, Hoang Mau, Nguyen, Huu Quan, Nguyen, Thi Thu Nga, Tucker, Gordon C. & Lee, Joongku, 2020, Capparis kbangensis (Capparaceae), a new species from central Vietnam, PhytoKeys 151, pp. 83-91 : 83

Capparis kbangensis Sy & D.V. Hai sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2 , 3 , 4

Diagnosis.

Capparis kbangensis is similar to Capparis versicolor Griff. in the number of secondary veins of the leaves, color of petals, number of stamens, the length of gynophore, but differs from it by the leaf characters (emarginate vs acute apex), hairy sepal margins (vs. glabrous), smaller fruits and number of seeds per fruit (4-5 per fruit, reniform vs. 15 per fruit, nearly polygonal).

Type.

Vietnam. Gia Lai Province: Kbang District, along the road, on hillocks, alt. 626 m, 14°11'44.0"N, 108°35'40.9"E, 07 April 2018, Sy Danh Thuong, Do Van Hai, Thuong 0704201801 (holotype HN!; isotype, IBSC!).

Description.

Scandent shrubs, up to 5 m high. Innovations with densely brown hairs, glabrous when mature. Thorns ca. 3 mm long, reddish brown, recurved. Petiole 6-8 mm long, hairy; blade elliptic to obovate, 4.5-6 × 2.8-3.2 cm, glabrous, young leaves yellowish green, dark green when older; midvein abaxially raised, adaxially flat; secondary veins 6-7 on each side of midvein, abaxially not obvious; base round or cuneate; apex emarginate. Inflorescence corymbs simple, terminal, with the lower flowers axillary, or few flowered in lateral racemes; pedicels 1.5-1.7 cm long, glabrous. Flower buds globose, 5-6 mm. Sepals 0.9-1 × 0.4-0.5 cm long, outer pairs hairy along margins, inner pairs hairy inside and along the margins; sepals of outer whorl boat-shaped and inner whorl obovate. Petals white, later turns to light pink, obovate, lower pairs 1.6-1.7 × 0.7-0.9 cm, upper pairs 1.7-1.8 × 0.9-1 cm, both surfaces pubescent, especially at the base. Stamens 57-60; filaments 3-3.5 cm long, glabrous, white; anthers ca. 2 mm long. Disk nearly parallelogram shaped. Gynophore 3.8-4.2 cm long, glabrous. Ovary elliptic, 0.2 × 0.1 cm, top with beak, yellowish green, glabrous, placentas 4. Fruits globose, 1.8-1.9 cm in diam, black when mature, surface with some knobs, beaked apex. Seeds 4-5 per fruit, reniform, 4-5 × 2-3 mm.

Other specimens examined.

Vietnam. Gia Lai Province, Kbang District, near the edge of forest, alt. 630 m, 14°12'16.0"N, 108°36'18.5"E, 11 March 2011, T.T. Bach, D.V. Hai, B.H. Quang, H.M. Tam, S.D. Thuong, PTV 698 (HN!). VIETNAM. Gia Lai Province, Kbang District, along the road, on the small hillocks, alt. 626 m, 14°11'44.0"N, 108°35'40.9"E, 28 April 2017, D.V. Hai, Hai28042017 (HN!).

Phenology.

Fls. March to April; Frts: April to August.

Distribution and ecology.

Capparis kbangensis is currently known from Kbang District, Gia Lai Province. It was found growing on the basaltic soils of hillocks along the roads or near the edge of forests, at an elevation of around 626-630 m. Capparis micracantha DC., Saccharum spontaneum L., Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob., Erycibe sp., Callicarpa albida Bl., Bidens pilosa L. were found associated with the new species.

Etymology.

The new species derives its name from the type locality Kbang District of the Gia Lai Province in Vietnam. In Vietnamese, it is known as Cáp kbang.

Conservation status.

During the last 10 years of our survey in Vietnam forests, we could observe only 12 individuals of Capparis kbangensis growing along the road or near the edge of forests. These habitats are frequently affected by the anthropogenic activities. Locating this species in the nearby areas proved a futile exercise. Therefore, Capparis kbangensis is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) or Data deficient (DD) based on the IUCN Red List Categories ( IUCN 2017). Further inventories are needed to find additional populations in Vietnam.

Note.

Capparis kbangensis is morphologically similar to Capparis versicolor . However, it also exhibits some similarities with C. monantha , C. siamensis , and C. flavicans . A comparison of the morphological characters of these species belonging to section Monostichocalyx is summarized in Table 1 .

Figures

Figure 1. Map of Vietnam indicating type locality of Capparis kbangensis Sy & D. V. Hai.

Figure 2. Capparis kbangensis Sy & D. V. Hai A habit B flowering branch C fruiting branch D fruit E fruit showing a distinct beak F cross section of the fruit G seeds. (Photographs by Sy & D. V. Hai).

Figure 3. Capparis kbangensis Sy & D. V. Hai A young stem B mature stem showing thorns C leaf D flower E sepals F petals G stamens H stamen with filament and anther I disk J gynophore and ovary K ovary. (Photographs by Sy & D. V. Hai).

Figure 4. Capparis kbangensis Sy & D. V Hai, sp. nov (A, C-J drawn from holotype Thuong 0704201801 B drawn from PTV 698; K, L drawn from Hai 28042017) A flowering branch B stem with thorns C base of leaf D apex of leaf E sepals F petals G filament and anther H disk I gynophore and ovary J ovary K fruiting branch L fruit (Drawn by Mrs. Le Kim Chi).