Name:

Aspidistra cleistantha D.X.Nong & H.Z.Lü – Phytotaxa 374(2): 178. (2018).

Holotype:

 

 

CHINA. Guangxi: [originally collected from Guangxi, Ningming County, Longgang National Natural Reserve, Longshan area, limestone mountains, rare, 220 m a.s.l., 9 December 2012, H. Z. Lü et al. 140449-1] Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, cultivated, 4 May 2018, D. X. Nong 180504001 (holotype, GXMG; isotype, GXMG).

Distribution:

China: Guangxi. 

Phenology:

Flowers in April–May in greenhouse.

Description

from 

protologue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perennial, evergreen, rhizomatous herb. Rhizome creeping, with very short internodes, epigeous, ca. 10 mm thick, with many swollen roots; roots white, up to 30 cm long, diameter 1.5–2 mm, with dense hairs. Vaginal leaves 3–4, purple-red, 1–12 cm long, enveloping the base of the petiole, becoming brown when dry. Leaves solitary, spaced; petiole stiffly upright, light green with purple dots at the base, adaxially sulcate, 21–30 cm long, 2–3.5 mm thick; leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 15–33 cm long, 6–9 cm wide, its base decurrent into petiole, inequilateral, apex acuminate, with 5–7 secondary veins at both sides of the midvein; the midvein and the secondary veins somewhat prominent at lower surface. Peduncle decumbent, 2–4.5 cm long, purple spotted, with 4–5 bracts; bracts gradually wider from base to apex of peduncle, the two upper bracts adjoining to perigone broadly ovate, white with densely purple spots at dorsal surface, 2–2.2 cm long, ca. 1.5 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers solitary, smelly; perigone widely tubular, fleshy; lobes 8 (occasionally 6), spreading, subequal, lanceolate, acuminate, 25–28 mm long, 3.5–5 mm broad at base, abaxially purple-red mottled, adaxially white but frequently with purplish mottled, each lobe basally with an adaxial appendage; appendages toothlike, 1.5–2 mm long, their bases explanate protruding horizontally over the tube opening and reducing the opening to 3–4 mm; tube 25–28 mm long, diameter 10–13 mm, slightly widened at the base, externally white at lower third part, distally part with densely purplish spots, internally white at basal third, distally part purplish mottled. Stamens 8(–6), opposite to lobes, subsessile, inserted at ca. 3 mm from the base of the perigone tube; anther oblong, 1–1.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. Pistil mushroom-shaped, 5–7 mm long; ovary indistinct; style cylindrical, ca. 1 mm long; stigma dilated, white, diameter ca. 10 mm, 5–6 mm thick, the central part convex and with 4(–3) radial, bifurcate lines, slightly 6–8-lobed at margin, abaxially longitudinally 12–16-ridged. Fruits unknown.

Sourses:

D.X.Nong & H.Z.Lü (2018) – Phytotaxa 374(2): 178.

Gallery: