Henckelia multinervia Lei Cai & Z.L.Dao, 2019

Cai, Lei, Liu, De-Tuan, Zhang, Pin & Dao, Zhi-Ling, 2019, Two new species of Henckelia (Gesneriaceae) from Southeastern Yunnan, China, PhytoKeys 130, pp. 151-160 : 151

Henckelia multinervia Lei Cai & Z.L.Dao sp. nov. Figures 3 , 4

Diagnosis.

Henckelia multinervia is similar to H. ceratoscyphus (B.L. Burtt) D.J. Middleton & Mich. Möller in the shape, color and size of the flower, the indumentum of leaf blade and the horn-like calyx apex, but it can easily be distinguished from the latter by the shape of leaf blade and distinct venation pattern, smaller horn-like calyx apex, the indumentum of corolla and style and smaller stigma.

Type.

China. Yunnan: Hekou County, Laofanzhai Town, Jinzhuliang village, Shiqiao, 22°47'N, 103°49'E, 442 m a.s.l., on moist rocks in rainforest valley along the bank of the stream, in flower, 3 Apr 2018, G.L. Zhang CL2018008 (holotype: KUN!, isotypes: KUN!).

Description.

Perennial, stem extremely short, usually less than 1 cm. Rhizome 0.8-5.0 cm long, internodes inconspicuous. Leaves basal, opposite; petiole 2-16 cm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; leaf blade long-elliptic to broadly lanceolate, 4-34 × 2-8 cm, herbaceous, adaxially densely puberulent, eglandular, abaxially puberulent and densely puberulent along veins, base oblique, cuneate on both sides, margin serrate, apex acute; lateral veins 12-22 on each side of midrib, conspicuous on both sides. Cymes 2-5 per plant, each 1-3-flowered; peduncle 1.2-2.5 cm long, pubescent; bracts 2, free, lanceolate, ca. 8-10 × 3-5 mm, pubescent both sides, margin entire, apex acute. Pedicel 1.5-2.5 cm long, pubescent. Calyx 1.2-2.0 cm long, 5-divided to near base; lobes equal, lanceolate to oblong, 1.2-2.0 cm long, outside pubescent, inside glabrous, apex attenuate, horn-like, 4-6 mm long. Corolla blue-purple, with two yellow stripes and several purple stripes on the abaxial lip, 3.5-5.0 cm long, outside glandular pubescent, inside glabrous; tube funnelform, outside white, ca. 2.8-4.0 × 0.2-1.5 cm; adaxial lobes 2, orbicular, ca. 1.5 cm in diameter; abaxial lobes 3, orbicular, ca. 1.8 cm in diameter. Stamens 2, anthers adaxially fused, ca. 2 mm long, puberulent; filaments 6-8 mm long, inserted ca. 1.2 cm from base, glabrous below, sparsely glandular puberulent apically; staminodes 3, central one ca. 1.5 mm long, laterals ca. 4 mm long, inserted ca. 1.3 cm from base. Disc ca. 1 mm high, shallowly 5-lobed. Pistil 2.4-2.8 cm long; ovary long elliptic, 8-10 mm long, densely pubescent; style linear, 1.5-1.8 cm long, glandular puberulent; stigma flabellate, ca. 2 mm long, 2-lobed. Old capsule (from the previous year) ca. 3.2 cm long.

Phenology.

Flowering from March to April; fruiting from April to May.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ' multinervia ' is Latin, and refers to the relatively large number veins of this species.

Vernacular name.

The Chinese mandarin "duo mai han ke ju tai" (多脉汉克苣苔)

Distribution and habitat.

This species is currently known only from the type locality, where ca. 80 individuals were found on moist rocks beside a river in a rainforest valley. More field work is required to assess the conservation status.

Additional specimens examined.

China. Yunnan: Hekou Couty, Laofanzhai Town, Jinzhuliang village, Shiqiao, 22°47'N, 103°49'E, 442 m a.s.l., on moist rocks in rainforest valleys along stream, in flower, 11 Apr 2018, Lei Cai et al. CL084 (KUN!); Hekou County, Laofanzhai Town, Jinzhuliang village, Shenchong, 22°47'N, 103°49'E, 485 m a.s.l., on moist rocks in the rainforest valley along streamsides, in flower, 8 Mar 2017, G.L. Zhang ZhangGL222 (KUN!).

Notes.

The new species is most similar to H. ceratoscyphus in its habitat and floral characteristics, but can easily be distinguished from the latter by having long-elliptic to broadly lanceolate leaf blade (vs. narrowly to broadly elliptic); more lateral veins up to 12-22 pairs (vs. 7-11 pairs); the horn-like apex up to 1/4-1/3 of the length of calyx (vs. 1/2-2/3 of the length of calyx); the corolla glandular pubescent outside (vs. sparsely puberulent outside), the glandular pubescent style (vs. puberulent); and the ca. 2 mm long stigma (vs. ca. 6 mm long).

Figures

Figure 3. Henckelia multinervia Lei Cai & Z. L. Dao, sp. nov. A Habitat B plants with flowers C rhizome, petiole and abaxial leaf surface D front view of flowers and adaxial leaf surface E, F side view of flowers G opened corolla H pistil, disc and calyx I opened corolla and pistil with calyx. All photographs by Lei Cai.

Figure 4. Holotype of Henckelia multinervia Lei Cai & Z. L. Dao (KUN- 1443559).