Zhuxi hemipilia (Hemipilia zhuxiensis) closely related to H. henryi and H. crassicalcarata in section

NEWS - Zhuxi hemipilia (Hemipilia zhuxiensis sp. nov.) found in Shibali Long Canyon National Nature Reserve is morphologically similar to Hemipilia henryi Rolfe and Hemipilia crassicalcarata S.S.Chien, but differs in having an oval and simple labellum with a curved edge, a curved apex and a spur shorter than the ovary.

The genus Hemipilia Lindley sensu stricto includes about 13 species. In Hemipilia sect. Hemipilia, many species show morphological similarities, characterized by relatively small purplish-red flowers, a tongue-like rostellum and oval leaves with purple spots.

Many new species have been discovered in recent years. During a 2020 field investigation in the Wuling Mountains, Hubei, China, researchers found many small purple-flowered Hemipilia species. However, the literature does not show such characteristics in previously studied Hemipilia species.

The simple, oblong labellum with slightly volute margins and shorter spurs distinguish it from all known Hemipilia species. The researchers used H. henryi and H. crassicalcarata for morphological comparison, as they share common attributes and are the closest phylogenetically related.

However, the new species shows certain differences as it has oblong leaves with purple spots; 10 × 3–5 mm, single, oblong labellum; slightly volute labellum margin; upwardly curved labellum apex; and much shorter spurs compared to the ovary.

Nuclear (nrITS) and plastid (matK, psaB, psbA-trnH, rbcL and trnL-F concatenation) DNA sequence analyses confirmed H. zhuxiensis to be closely related to H. henryi and H. crassicalcarata supporting its recognition as a new species within H. sect. Hemipilia.

H. zhuxiensis is known to have two populations in the Shibali Long Canyon National Nature Reserve. The two populations are about 500 meters apart along the rock wall of the canyon. The new species grows on the rock wall together with H. henryi.

The canyon is a barren valley and many shrubs and mosses grow on the rock walls on both sides. The species flowers in June. The specific epithet refers to the name of the type locality in Zhuxi County. The Chinese name is “竹溪舌喙兰“.

Original research

Shen C-q, Lu G-H, Chen X-T, Yi L-S, Lan D-Q, Qin R, Liu H (2024). Hemipilia zhuxiensis (Orchideae, Orchidaceae), a new species from Hubei Province, China. PhytoKeys 247: 203-217, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.131618

Dlium theDlium

Limestone beads (Jacquemontia paniculata)

Limestone beads ( Jacquemontia paniculata ) is a species of plant in the Convolvulaceae. It is a herbaceous, twining climbing plant with cylindrical, branched, green stems. It grows in shrubs, teak forest floors, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. J. paniculata has arrow-shaped, green leaves with a central main vein and numerous pinnate minor veins. The leaves are up to 9 cm long, 7 cm wide, and have stalks up to 5 cm long. The flowers are star-shaped, about 1 cm in diameter, and bluish-white. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Subfamily: Dichondroideae Tribe: Jacquemontieae Genus: Jacquemontia Choisy in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 6: 476 (1833 publ. 1834) Species: Jacquemontia paniculata (Burm.f.) Hallier f. in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 18: 95 (1893) Variety: Jacquemontia paniculata var. grandiflora Ooststr., Jacquemontia paniculata var. lanceolata S.H.Huang, Jacquemontia paniculata v...

Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea)

Sunn hemp ( Crotalaria juncea ) is a species of plant in the Fabaceae family, erect, woody shrub, growing up to 2 meters tall, cylindrical stems, angular, green with white hairs. The leaves are elongated, green and thick, up to 20 cm long and up to 4 cm wide. The petioles are up to 1 cm long. The inflorescences are yellow in long panicles. The fruit is an elongated, oval capsule, 3 cm long, with a 1 cm stalk and white hairs. The seeds are shiny, 2-3 mm long capsules. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Tribe: Crotalarieae Genus: Crotalaria L. in Sp. Pl.: 714 (1753) Species: Crotalaria juncea L. in Sp. Pl.: 714 (1753) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Crotalaria benghalensis Lam. in Encycl. 2: 196 (1786) Crotalaria cannabinua Royle in Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts.: 82 (1834) Crotalaria fenestrata Sims in Bot. Mag. 44: t. 1933 (1817) Crotalaria juncea var. bengalensis (Lam.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. ...

Kunu buti (Mesosphaerum suaveolens)

Kunu buti ( Mesosphaerum suaveolens ) is a species of plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is an erect, herbaceous annual, growing up to 1.5 meters tall. Its cylindrical, rough, brown or green stem is hairy and white. It grows on forest floors, bushes, agricultural fields, and roadsides. Its roots are fibrous and brownish-yellow. M. suaveolens has single, opposite leaves, stalks 2-5 cm long and hairy. The leaf blades are green, hairy, oval, with pointed tips, blunt bases, serrated edges, up to 6 cm long, up to 5 cm wide, and pinnate veins. The flowers are compound, axillary, in clusters, perfect, and bisexual. The petals are attached, forming a tube, each tip elongated like a spine, soft, 3-10 mm long, and green. The corolla is attached, asymmetrically detached, 1-2 cm long, and purple. The fruit is single, hard, capsule-shaped, hairy on the surface, and green or brown in color. The seeds are round, small and blackish brown in color. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphyl...

Dlium