Aspidistra luodianensis

.

Aspidistra luodianensis

Accepted name Aspidistra luodianensis D. D. Tao. Acta Phytotax. Geobot., 43(2): 121, fig. 1 (1992).

Synonyms

Distribution China (NW Guangxi, S Guizhou)

Description Rhizome: creeping, terete, diameter 2 - 2.5 cm, without scales.
Leaves: solitary to ca. 170 cm; cataphylls undescribed; petiole 30 - 60 cm; lamina lanceolate, 80 - 110 cm long x 10 - 13 cm wide.

Peduncle: 1 - 1.5 cm long, purple, with 1 or 2 bracts; flowers solitary.

Perianth [Perigone]: campanulate, cream or yellow speckled with purple [red-pink]; tube 1 - 1.5 cm long x 2 - 2.5 cm diameter, glabrous; lobes 6, recurved, linear-lanceolate, ca. 4.5 cm long x 0.5 cm wide, basally expanded inward forming tooth-like or spur-like appendages, yellow adaxially, purple abaxially.

Stamens: 6, inserted at middle of perianth tube, subsessile; anthers suboblong, ca. 2.5 mm.

Pistil: obconical; stigma sessile, a massive, dilated, bowl-like structure 1 cm long x 1 - 1.5 cm diameter, abaxially with ca. 20 - 24 radial ridges, adaxially pale yellow and slightly concave, with a 5 - 6 pointed raised, reddish area centrally [the true stigmatic surface?], the margin with ca. 10 - 12 major lobes alternating with 10 - 12 minor lobes representing the tips of the abaxial ridges, the whole occupying the bottom half of the perigone tube i.e. not appressed to the opening; ovary inconspicuous [see notes].

Fruit: berry red, globose, ca. 2.5 cm diameter, glabrous.

Phenology: flowers April [or June - July], fruits June.

2n = 38
based on FoC and drawing and photographs in Li Guangzhao 2004

References

Comments According to the FoC the ovary is 3 - 5-ribbed but there is no indication of this in any of the drawings. Similarly the FoC states that the stigma is "purple" but photographs in Li Guangzhao and elsewhere show a cream or yellow stigma.
It is possible to interpret the "stigma" described above as the style with the stigmatic surface confined to the raised, 5 - 6 pointed reddish area on the adaxial surface.

The structure of the flower of A. luodianensis is very similar to A. patentiloba but in the latter the "stigma" is appressed to the opening of the perigone tube more or less closing it.

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last updated 18/02/2008

Accepted name	Aspidistra luodianensis D. D. Tao. Acta Phytotax. Geobot., 43(2): 121, fig. 1 (1992).
Synonyms
Distribution	China (NW Guangxi, S Guizhou)
Description	Rhizome: creeping, terete, diameter 2 - 2.5 cm, without scales. Leaves: solitary to ca. 170 cm; cataphylls undescribed; petiole 30 - 60 cm; lamina lanceolate, 80 - 110 cm long x 10 - 13 cm wide. Peduncle: 1 - 1.5 cm long, purple, with 1 or 2 bracts; flowers solitary. Perianth [Perigone]: campanulate, cream or yellow speckled with purple [red-pink]; tube 1 - 1.5 cm long x 2 - 2.5 cm diameter, glabrous; lobes 6, recurved, linear-lanceolate, ca. 4.5 cm long x 0.5 cm wide, basally expanded inward forming tooth-like or spur-like appendages, yellow adaxially, purple abaxially. Stamens: 6, inserted at middle of perianth tube, subsessile; anthers suboblong, ca. 2.5 mm. Pistil: obconical; stigma sessile, a massive, dilated, bowl-like structure 1 cm long x 1 - 1.5 cm diameter, abaxially with ca. 20 - 24 radial ridges, adaxially pale yellow and slightly concave, with a 5 - 6 pointed raised, reddish area centrally [the true stigmatic surface?], the margin with ca. 10 - 12 major lobes alternating with 10 - 12 minor lobes representing the tips of the abaxial ridges, the whole occupying the bottom half of the perigone tube i.e. not appressed to the opening; ovary inconspicuous [see notes]. Fruit: berry red, globose, ca. 2.5 cm diameter, glabrous. Phenology: flowers April [or June - July], fruits June. 2n = 38 based on FoC and drawing and photographs in Li Guangzhao 2004
References
Comments	According to the FoC the ovary is 3 - 5-ribbed but there is no indication of this in any of the drawings. Similarly the FoC states that the stigma is "purple" but photographs in Li Guangzhao and elsewhere show a cream or yellow stigma. It is possible to interpret the "stigma" described above as the style with the stigmatic surface confined to the raised, 5 - 6 pointed reddish area on the adaxial surface. The structure of the flower of A. luodianensis is very similar to A. patentiloba but in the latter the "stigma" is appressed to the opening of the perigone tube more or less closing it.