Yushania tongpeii D.Z.Li, Y.X.Zhang & E.D.Liu, 2019

Zhang, Yu-Xiao, Ye, Xia-Ying, Liu, En-De & Li, De-Zhu, 2019, Yushania tongpeii (Poaceae, Bambusoideae), a new bamboo species from north-eastern Yunnan, China, PhytoKeys 130, pp. 135-141 : 135

Yushania tongpeii D.Z.Li, Y.X.Zhang & E.D.Liu sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2

Diagnosis.

Yushania tongpeii is morphologically similar to Y. oblonga , Y. pingshanensis and Y. straminea , but can be easily distinguished by having taller branching from nodes 1-2 m above the ground, sparse purple spots on the internode, densely purple spotted culm sheaths, glabrous margins of culm sheaths and tomentose leaf ligules.

Type.

CHINA. Yunnan: Daguan County, Wumengshan National Nature Reserve, Sanjiangkou, 28°13'16"N, 103°54'1"E, 2260 m alt., 29 September 2018, Y.X. Zhang et al. 18180 (holotype: KUN!; isotype: KUN!).

Description.

Rhizomes pachymorph, rhizome neck 17-41 cm long, 0.4-0.6 cm in diameter, solid. Culms 2-5 m tall, 0.8-1.5 cm in diameter; internodes terete, 15-38 cm long, initially sparsely purple-spotted, thinly white powdery, densely below nodes, glabrous; culm wall 2-4 mm thick; nodes inconspicuous; sheath scar prominent, with persistent remains of sheath base. Branching from nodes 1-2 m above the ground, branches usually 3, the base appressed to the culm. Culm sheaths tardily deciduous, oblong, leathery, 1/3 to 1/2 as long as internodes, densely purple-spotted, sparsely setose or glabrous abaxially, margins glabrous; auricles narrowly falcate; oral setae radiate; ligules 1-3 mm tall, truncate, margins entire or shallowly serrate; blades erect or recurved, lanceolate. Foliage leaves 3-5 per ultimate branch, sometimes a slender branchlet with 3-5 foliage leaves extending from the apex of the ultimate branch; sheaths initially sparsely setose and white powdery, glabrescent, green or purple, margins glabrous; auricles narrowly falcate, deciduous; oral setae several, radiate, deciduous; ligules truncate or a little arched, 2-3 mm tall, tomentose abaxially; petiole puberulous, initially white powdery; blades 9.5-21 × 1.2-3 cm, shallowly wavy when dry, glabrous, glaucous abaxially, secondary veins 4-6 pairs, transverse veins conspicuous, apex tapering, margins serrate. Inflorescence unknown.

Phenology.

New shoots May to July.

Distribution and habitat.

This new species is only found in Daguan County, north-eastern Yunnan, China. It occurs above the upper limit of distribution of Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda Hsueh&T.P.Yi ex Ohrnberger in this area, and grows under the evergreen broadleaved forests at an altitude between 2200-2400 m.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to Professor Tong-Pei Yi (1933-2016), who made great contributions to the taxonomy of the alpine bamboos (particularly in Fargesia Franchet and Yushania P.C. Keng) in China.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes).

CHINA. Yunnan: Daguan County, Wumengshan National Nature Reserve, Sanjiangkou, 28°14'11"N, 103°54'21"E, 2390 m alt., 24 May 2016, E.D. Liu et al. 4760 (KUN!), ibid., 28°13'44"N, 103°54'53"E, 2230 m alt., 28 September 2018, Y.X. Zhang et al. 18176, 18177 (KUN!).

Figures

Figure 1. Yushania tongpeii D. Z. Li., Y. X. Zhang & E. D. Liu. A internode and branches B part of the culm sheath, denoting auricles and the blade C young leaves D new shoot E culm bud F long-necked rhizome.

Figure 2. Yushania tongpeii D. Z. Li., Y. X. Zhang & E. D. Liu. A habitat B culm sheath C rhizome D culm bud E branches F young culms with culm sheaths G foliage leaves H leaf sheath. Scale bars: 5 cm (A); 2.5 cm (C); 2 cm (B); 1 cm (D-G); 5 mm (H).