Polygonatum hunanense H.H. Liu & B.Z. Wang

Xia, Maoqin, Liu, Ying, Liu, Jingjing, Chen, Donghong, Shi, Yan, Bai, Zhicong, Xiao, Yu, Peng, Chen, Si, Jinping, Li, Pan & Qiu, Yingxiong, 2021, A new synonym of Polygonatum in China, based on morphological and molecular evidence, PhytoKeys 175, pp. 137-149 : 137

Polygonatum hunanense H.H. Liu & B.Z. Wang

Polygonatum kingianum grandifolium = Polygonatum kingianum Collett & Hemsl. var. grandifolium D.M. Liu et W.Z. Zeng, Flora Sichuanica. 7: 230-231. 1981. Type: CHINA. Sichuan: Guan County, 900 m alt., 8 June 1978, Hao Zhang 1231 (lectotype, designated here: CDCM [barcode 00044013]!, Figure 3 ; isolectotype: CDCM [barcode 00044022]!).

Modified description of P. hunanense .

Perennials, rhizome moniliform or ginger-like, 1-4 cm in diam. Stem straight or apex subscandent, 1-3.5 m. Leaves in whorls of 3-6 (-10), sometimes alternate or opposite near base and/or apex of stem, sessile, elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 5-20 (-27) cm long, 0.5-5 cm wide, apex strongly cirrose or curved. Inflorescences (1-) 2-5 flowered; peduncle 1-4 cm long, pendulous; bracts at base of pedicel, subulate to lanceolate, 2-5 mm. Pedicel 0.4-1.8 cm. Perianth yellowish- or greenish-white, cylindrical campanulate, slightly constricted in the middle, 1.5-2.7 cm long, perianth segments 6, arranged into 2 whorls, each 3 lobes 4-6.5 mm. Stamens 6, filaments 2-3.5 mm long, stout and no thickening, anthers 2.5-5.5 mm long. Ovary superior, globose 4-7 mm in diameter. Style 8-14 mm long. Berries pale yellowish-green or orange, 1-1.8 cm in diam., 3-15 seeds.

Phenology.

It sprouts twice a year, in spring (March to April) and autumn (September). The spring-sprouting individual flowers from April to May and fruits from December to next February. The autumn-sprouting individual flowers from November to December.

Distribution and habitat.

Polygonatum hunanense is relatively common in Chongqing Municipality, Sichuan, Hubei and Hunan Provinces, China (Figure 1 ). It grows in evergreen broad-leaved forests, thickets or on moist grassy slopes, at an elevation of 200 m to 1200 m. In addition, it is also widely cultivated in those areas for harvesting the rhizomes.

Conservation status.

To our knowledge, this species is widely distributed in low elevations of southwest China. Therefore, we propose to treat it as Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 14 (August 2019). However, due to the medicinal value of the genus, many of its populations are destroyed by unmanaged exploitation.

Other specimens examined.

China. Chongqing Municipality: Nanchuan District , Sanquan , 24 January 1984, Zhengyu Liu 4958 (fl., IMC!); ibidem, 10 July 1991, Zhengyu Liu 917801 (fr. IMC!); Nanchuan District , Jinfo Mountain , 13 September 1985, Zhengyu Liu 851732 (fr. IMC!); ibidem, 28 June 1999, Zhengyu Liu 974488 (fl., IMC!); ibidem, 28 June 1999, Zhengyu Liu 974498 (fl., IMC!); ibidem, 28 June 1999, Zhengyu Liu 990498 (fl., IMC!); ibidem, 28 August 1999, Zhengyu Liu 975059 (fr. IMC!); Jiangjin District , Simian Mountain , 16 July 2000, Zhengyu Liu 2004036 (fl., IMC!); Pengshui County, Longmenxia, 24 June 1988, Fading Fu & Yaling Cao 0264 (CDBI!); Qijiang District , Zhongfeng Town , Lianghekou, 22 October 2012, The Qijiang team 13-500222-LY-411-01 (IMC!); ibidem, 22 October 2012, The Qijiang team 13-500222-LY-411-02 (fr., IMC!); Qijiang District , Shihao & Wanlong, 12 October 2014, The Qijiang team Qianjiang-0310 (IMC!); Wuxi County , Shuangyang, 16 July 1996, Zhengyu Liu 760044 (fl., IMC!) . Hubei Province: Enshi City, Hegongwei Village , 06 November 2016, Jinping Si & Jingjing Liu 33-4 (HZU!) . Sichuan Province: Pengzhou City , 22 June 1978, Tianfu Yang & Yunjin Chen 1231 (CDCM!); Qionglai City, 11 June 1979, Chengdu University of TCM 0668 (fl., CDCM!) .

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution map of Polygonatum hunanense (red dots with black circle, based on Liu et al. 2021) and Polygonatum kingianum var. grandifolium (blue dots with black circle: three populations investigated in this study; blue dots: previous specimen records).

Figure 3. Lectotype of Polygonatum kingianum var. grandifolium, Hao Zhang 1231 (CDCM 00044013).