Skip to main content

Yan Liu ophiorrhiza (Ophiorrhiza liuyanii) from China and Vietnam similar to O. alatiflora and O. baviensis

Yan Liu ophiorrhiza (Ophiorrhiza liuyanii) from China and Vietnam similar to O. alatiflora and O. baviensis

NEWS - Prof. Yan Liu ophiorrhiza (Ophiorrhiza liuyanii L.Wu, Y.H.Tan & K.S.Nguyen, sp. nov.), from southwest China and northern Vietnam which is morphologically similar to Ophiorrhiza alatiflora and Ophiorrhiza baviensis was concluded as a new species after more than 10 years of investigation.

Ophiorrhiza Linnaeus is an Indo-Malesian genus of Rubiaceae distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia with only a few extending to Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific Ocean. The total species number of the genus is unclear and is estimated to be around 200-300 species due to the lack of revision worldwide.

China has a diversity of Ophiorrhiza with about 74 taxa. Most of them are in southern and southwest China, especially in Guangxi and Yunnan. In 2013, researchers found an unusual specimen and tentatively considered it as O. baviensis Drake.

In a recent field survey in Menghai County, southwest Yunnan, a strange plant of this species was observed bearing fruit in 2014 and flowering in 2024 and was recollected. After careful examination of fresh and dried material, they concluded that this plant is a new taxon.

O. liuyanii is a perennial herb, erect or ascending at the base, up to 80 cm tall; stem, leaves, petiole, stipules, bracts, outside flower and capsule glabrous. Leaves generally in equal pairs (usually isophyllous); petioles 1–3 cm, pale green.

Leaf blades drying papery, dark green adaxially, pale green abaxially, elliptic, oblong or ovate-elliptic, 7–15 × 3–6 cm, cuneate at base, acuminate at apex, margins entire; secondary veins 9–13 at each side; stipules small, broadly triangular, ca. 1 mm long, caducous, with glands at the inner base.

Inflorescences congested cymose, many-flowered, drooping at the early stage, then erect; peduncles 1–2 cm long, pale green; bracts broad-ovate to ovate, 9–22 × 4–11 mm, apex acuminate, acute or sometimes obtuse.

Flowers heterostylous; pedicels to 3 mm long, puberulent. Calyx puberulent; hypanthium oblate, 1.5–1.8 × 1.8–2.2 mm; lobes triangular to ovate triangular, 0.8–1.6 mm long, acuminate at apex.

Corolla white or pinkish-white, subtubular; tube 1.0–1.6 cm long, outside longitudinally winged from apex to base, wings straight or undulate, ca. 0.8–2 mm wide; lobes 5, ovate-triangular, 3.8–4.8 × 2.8–3.5 mm, inside pubescent, apex acute, slightly incurved. Stamens 5; anthers linear, 2.2–3.2 mm long.

Bilobed stigma; 2-celled ovaries. Long-styled flowers: inside with a ring of white hairs at the middle of the corolla tube and puberulent from the middle up to the throat; stamens included, positioned a little below the middle of the corolla tube; style 8–12 mm long, densely pubescent; stigma positioned at the corolla throat, lobes elliptic, ca. 1.8 mm long.

Short-styled flowers: sparsely pubescent at the middle of the corolla tube; stamens reaching slightly beyond corolla throat, not exserted; style 3.8–5.5 mm long, pubescent; stigma lobes lanceolate, ca. 2.8 mm long. Capsules mitriform, ca. 4.5 × 10 mm.

The new species is morphologically similar to O. alatiflora and O. baviensis, but has dense inflorescences (vs. developed in O. alatiflora) and numerous fruits, bracts broad-ovate to ovate (vs. linear or linear-lanceolate), 4–11 (vs. 0.8–1.5) mm wide

The new species has glabrous pedicels (vs. densely pubescent or puberulent in O. baviensis), bracts broad-ovate to ovate (vs. lanceolate), corolla tube deep with (vs. without) a central ring of white hairs in long-styled flowers.

O. liuyanii flowers in April–May and fruits in May–July. It is currently known from southern Yunnan (southwestern China) and Dien Bien (northwestern Vietnam). It grows along streams or moist places under evergreen broadleaf forests at elevations of 1500–1850 m. Vegetation is dominated by Lauraceae, Fagaceae, Magnoliaceae, Theaceae, Betulaceae, Ericaceae, Symplocaceae, Urticaceae, Balsaminaceae and Begoniaceae.

The species epithet is named after Prof. Yan Liu, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has made great contributions to plant taxonomy in China. Chinese name 宽翅蛇根草 (kuan-chi-she-gen-cao).

Original research

Liu C-Y, Liao X-W, Ye L-C, Tan Y-H, Nguyen KS, Thien TD, Wu L (2024). Ophiorrhiza liuyanii (Rubiaceae), a new species from south-western China and northern Vietnam. PhytoKeys 248: 199-206, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.248.135078

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Sandbox tree (Hura crepitans)

Sandbox tree ( Hura crepitans ) is species in Euphorbiaceae, a tropical tree, growing up to 60 meters tall and with a trunk circumference of up to 13.2 meters, the trunk is covered with long and sharp thorns and exudes a poisonous sap. H. crepitans has large, oval leaves, 15 cm wide and 20 cm long. The petioles are 22 cm long. The flowers are red and lack petals. Male flowers grow on long stalks, while female flowers grow singly in leaf axils. The fruit is a large, flask-shaped capsule, up to 10 cm in diameter, with 12-16 radially arranged carpels. The seeds are flat and about 2 cm in diameter. The capsule bursts when ripe, dividing into segments and ejecting the seeds at a speed of 70 m/s, a distance of 30-100 meters. This tree prefers moist soil and partial shade or partial to full sun, a warm, humid environment. It is often cultivated for shade. The wood is light and used to make canoes. The sap is used to poison fish. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiosperma...
Read more

Fivefingers (Syngonium angustatum)

Donglimo or fivefingers ( Syngonium angustatum ) is species in Araceae, epiphytes, grow to climb large trees up to 20 meters high, produce milky sap, dark green, internodes up to 50 cm long, petioles up to 35 cm long, green and live in areas tropical. S. angustatum has roots in the soil to absorb nutrients and air roots that grow in each segment to attach themselves to a support. Wild plants that live in forests often cause trees to be uprooted by heavy loads. The main stem produces a row of stems, up to 60 cm with the ends of a group of leaves with 3-7 separate leaflets, but connected by horizontal stems. The middle leaf has a length of up to 25 cm and a width of up to 12 cm. The flower has a veil, round in shape and a pointed tip, green and facing up with a stalk up to 15 cm long. The head of the pistil is tubular, stands 3-5 cm long and is white. The fruit is in a veil, rounded with a pointed tip and green when young to turn bright red when ripe and grow on the tip of the ...
Read more

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

Pare or bitter melon ( Momordica charantia ) is a plant species in Cucurbitaceae, grows climbing or spreads with spiral-shaped tendrils, many branches, long fruit and jagged surface, grows well in tropical regions and is usually cultivated for vegetables and medicinal ingredients. M. charantia has green stems with white hairs. Single leaf stemmed and arranged alternately, length 3.5-8.5 cm, width 4 cm, divided into 5-7 fins with many bones, heart-shaped base, green, wrinkled surface and jagged margins. A single flower has a stalk, male and female flowers in the tree, the crown has five fins and is yellow. The fruit is long oval shaped, has 8-10 linear ribs, irregular nodules, 6-30 cm long depending on subspecies and varieties, bitter taste, young green, ripe to orange and broken with three parts. Bitter melon has several subpsecies including Momordica charantia macroloba , Momordica charantia charantia and Momordica charantia abbreviata . Some varieties include Momordica charantia ...
Read more