Aspidistra guangxiensis

.

Aspidistra guangxiensis

Accepted name Aspidistra guangxiensis S. C. Tang & Y. Liu. Novon 13(4): 480, fig. 1. (2003).

Synonyms

Distribution China (Guangxi)

Description Rhizome: creeping, subterete, diameter 3 - 5 mm, densely covered with scales.
Leaves: solitary, to ca. 60 cm, well spaced on rhizome; cataphylls undescribed; petiole 14 - 40 cm, partly enveloped by cataphylls; lamina green with yellow-white spots, ovate to elliptic, 6 - 20 cm long x 7 - 8 cm wide, base decurrent into petiole, apex acuminate.

Peduncle: decumbent, 4 - 5 cm long with ca. 5 purple, triangular bracts, the terminal 2 or 3 close to flower; flowers solitary.

Perianth [Perigone]: urceolate, purple abaxially, yellow adaxially, fleshy; tube subglobose, diameter 1 - 2 cm; lobes 6 - 8, free, spreading, linear-lanceolate, 2 - 3 cm long x 2 - 6 mm wide, base with an adaxial, rounded, tooth-like appendage extending part of the way across the mouth of the perianth tube, apex subobtuse.

Stamens: 6 - 8, inserted in proximal third of perianth tube, positioned conspicuously lower than stigma, filament inconspicuous, anther reniform, 2 - 5 mm, dehiscing by a slit.

Pistil: obconical; stigma sessile, a massive, dilated, bowl-like structure 1 cm long x 1 - 1.5 cm diameter, abaxially with 12 or 16 longitudinal ridges, adaxially pale yellow and slightly concave, with 3 purple ridges at centre [the true stigmatic surface?] (4 ridges not observed in 4-merous flowers), margin with 12 or 16 triangular lobes, appressed to the opening of the perianth tube so as almost to seal it; ovary much narrower than stigma, 3-loculed.

Fruit: undescribed.

Phenology: flowers May.

2n = ?
based on Tang & Liu 2003.

References

Comments As shown in the legend to the drawings below Tang & Liu interpret the pistil as essentially comprising an enlarged sessile stigma. I think this is wrong and what Tang & Liu call the stigma is actually the style with the stigmatic surface probably indicated by the 3 purple ridges at centre of the adaxial surface.
http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/china/novon/novo-13-04-480.pdf

home top next

last updated 18/02/2008

Accepted name	Aspidistra guangxiensis S. C. Tang & Y. Liu. Novon 13(4): 480, fig. 1. (2003).
Synonyms
Distribution	China (Guangxi)
Description	Rhizome: creeping, subterete, diameter 3 - 5 mm, densely covered with scales. Leaves: solitary, to ca. 60 cm, well spaced on rhizome; cataphylls undescribed; petiole 14 - 40 cm, partly enveloped by cataphylls; lamina green with yellow-white spots, ovate to elliptic, 6 - 20 cm long x 7 - 8 cm wide, base decurrent into petiole, apex acuminate. Peduncle: decumbent, 4 - 5 cm long with ca. 5 purple, triangular bracts, the terminal 2 or 3 close to flower; flowers solitary. Perianth [Perigone]: urceolate, purple abaxially, yellow adaxially, fleshy; tube subglobose, diameter 1 - 2 cm; lobes 6 - 8, free, spreading, linear-lanceolate, 2 - 3 cm long x 2 - 6 mm wide, base with an adaxial, rounded, tooth-like appendage extending part of the way across the mouth of the perianth tube, apex subobtuse. Stamens: 6 - 8, inserted in proximal third of perianth tube, positioned conspicuously lower than stigma, filament inconspicuous, anther reniform, 2 - 5 mm, dehiscing by a slit. Pistil: obconical; stigma sessile, a massive, dilated, bowl-like structure 1 cm long x 1 - 1.5 cm diameter, abaxially with 12 or 16 longitudinal ridges, adaxially pale yellow and slightly concave, with 3 purple ridges at centre [the true stigmatic surface?] (4 ridges not observed in 4-merous flowers), margin with 12 or 16 triangular lobes, appressed to the opening of the perianth tube so as almost to seal it; ovary much narrower than stigma, 3-loculed. Fruit: undescribed. Phenology: flowers May. 2n = ? based on Tang & Liu 2003.
References
Comments	As shown in the legend to the drawings below Tang & Liu interpret the pistil as essentially comprising an enlarged sessile stigma. I think this is wrong and what Tang & Liu call the stigma is actually the style with the stigmatic surface probably indicated by the 3 purple ridges at centre of the adaxial surface. http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/china/novon/novo-13-04-480.pdf