aSPIDISTRA sPECIES

Aspidistra laotica

Name:

Aspidistra laotica Aver. & Tillich – Nordic J. Bot. 33(3): 366. (2014).

Holotype:

 

Laos, Vientiane prov., Vang Vieng distr., Nam Pe village, about 12 km to the west of Vang Vieng town, around point 18°58′41.0′′ N, 102°18′54.1′′ E., 15 Jun 2013, L. Averyanov, LA-VN 554a (holotype: LE).

Specimens:

 

 

Paratype : Laos, Vientiane prov., Vang Vieng distr., Nam Pe village, about 12 km to the west of Vang Vieng town, around point 18°58′41.0′′ N, 102°18′54.1′′ E, 300–1000 m a.s.l., 18 Mar 2013, N.T. Hiep, L. Averyanov, K. Chantthavongsa, N.S. Khang, P.V. The, S. Lorphengsy, LA-VN 554 (LE, Herbarium of the Center for plant conservation, Hanoi).

Distribution:

Laos: Vientiane province.

Phenology:

Flowers in April–May in cultivation.

Description

from 

protologue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shoot erect, simple or sparsely branching, 3–5 cm tall, 5–6 mm in diameter, densely nodal, with few thick, rigid, semi-woody, straight, down-directed prop roots. Cataphylls convolute, narrowly triangular, when young light greenish to dull purple–brown, later becoming pale yellowish to almost white, papyraceous, with prominent nerves, up to 5 cm long, early splitting into persistent fibrous remains. Leaves (2)3(4), petiolate. Petiole stiff, erect, almost straight, (4)5–12(14) cm long. Leaf blade normally almost horizontal, ovate to broadly elliptic, cordate at base and shortly attenuate at apex, (8)10–14(16) cm long, (4.5)5.0–7.0(8.5) cm wide, irregularly undulate along margin, brightly uniform green on both sides, with 7 prominent veins radiating from the leaf base. Flowers solitary, arising from the apical part of shoot, pedunculate. Peduncle arising horizontally, straight or slightly flexuose, light green, terete, 2–3 cm long, 1.5–2.0 mm in diameter, with 2–4(5) sterile bracts; bracts broadly ovate, concave, thin, scarious, white to light greenish, later dull yellowish – brown, papyraceous, obtuse to acute, 0.8–1.0(1.5) cm long, and 2–3(5) mm wide; uppermost bract narrowly ovate to oblong, concave, thin, scarious, almost white  to light greenish, obtuse, 0.8–1.0 cm long, 2–4 mm wide, with 3 veins, distant from fl ower. Perigone tube urceolate, white on both surfaces, longitudinally ridged outside , 4–6 mm long and wide, with 6 free lobes at apex. Perigone lobes subequal, ovate, obtuse to blunt at apex, fl at and smooth, well recurved, 3.4–4.0 mm long, 3.0–3.5 mm wide at base, dark brown to almost black; petals (inner perigone lobes) somewhat wider and shallowly auriculate at the base. Stamens 6, sessile, inserted on tube wall closely below perigone lobes; anthers narrowly bean-shaped, 1.0–1.2 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide; pollen sacs introrse; pollen light dull yellow. Pistil mushroom-shaped; style white, fleshy, pyramidal, 3.5–4.5 mm tall, 1.4–1.8 mm in diameter at the base, attenuate towards apex; stigma umbrella-like, 2.0–2.5 mm in diameter, entire, circular or slightly oblique, fleshy, its upper surface irregularly verrucose, brown. Ovary inconspicuous, light greenish. Fruits globular, 1 cm in diameter, dirty purple, rugose..

Sourses:

Averyanov L.V. & Tillich H.J. (2014) Nordic J. Bot. 33(3): 366–376.

Gallery: