.

Aspidistra longiloba

Accepted name Aspidistra longiloba G. Z. Li. Acta Phytotax. Sin., 26(2): 156, fig. 1. (1988).
Synonyms  
Distribution China (Guangxi)
Description Rhizome: creeping, subterete, diameter ca. 1.5 cm.

Leaves: solitary to ca. 150 cm; cataphylls undescribed; petiole purple-brown, 45 - 75 cm, rigid; lamina oblanceolate, 50 - 70 cm long x 10 - 15 cm wide.

Peduncle: 5 - 11 cm long with ca. 4 bracts, erect; flowers solitary.

Perianth [Perigone]: campanulate, purple to purple-brown; tube 3.5 - 3.7 cm long x 3.5 - 4 cm diameter, villous; lobes 12 (- 14), arranged in two "pseudo-whorls", basally purple with a narrow pale greenish-yellow margins grading acropetally to wholly greenish-yellow tips, recurved, linear-lanceolate, 7 - 7.5 cm long x ca. 0.8 cm wide [see notes], basally expanded inward forming oblong, densely papillose appendages ca.13 mm long x 6 mm wide, randomly overlapping and almost completely closing the entrance to the perianth tube.

Stamens: 12 (- 14), inserted at base of perianth tube, subsessile, anthers oblong, ca. 6 mm.

Pistil: nail-headed; ca. 9 mm long, style articulate [see notes]; stigma ± sessile, peltate, orbicular, ca. 2.2 cm diameter, comprising (normally) 6 lobes each emarginate into two 2 - 3 mm long x 2 -3 mm wide marginal lobes, adaxially with 6 radial raised ridges bifurcating and widening to the tips of the marginal lobes, adaxially the marginal lobes developed into radial triangular ridges narrowing to points at the style; ovary inconspicuous.

Fruit: undescribed.

Phenology: flowers May - June.

2n = 38

based on FoC and drawing and photographs in Li Guangzhao 2004

References  
Comments The FoC description states that perianth lobes are "1 - 1.2 cm wide"; this must be the width at the base of the lobes.  The FoC states "style articulate"; the drawings (and photograph in Li Guangzhao) show the stigma to be ± sessile, which while not excluding articulation makes it unlikely.

One of the most spectacular Aspidistra in flower.

Images

home     top     next

last updated 15/10/2008