Name:

Aspidistra nitens Aver., K.S.Nguyen & Tillich, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 52: 27 (2021).

Holotype:

 

 

 

 

Prepared from cultivated plant 27 IV 2021 by L. Averyanov and T. Maisak, AL 150A, garden number 1638; the plant collected in central Laos, Bolikhamsai Prov., Thaphabat Distr., Nam Bon Village, Phou Khao Khouay National Park, Tad Xai Waterfall, around point 18°27′25.9″ N 103°08′17.5″ E in degraded secondary evergreen dry forest along rocky river on eroded sandstone at elevation about 350 m a. s. l., in shady places on sandy soil, rare, 9 XII 2015, L. Averyanov, T. Maisak, AL 150A (LE: LE 01077040, http://herbariumle.ru/?t=occ&id=91547&rid=ima ge_0179790; analytical photo plate — LE 01122379, http://en.herbariumle.ru/?t=occ&id=82864).

Distribution:

Laos: Bolikhamsai Province.

Phenology:

Flowers in April–May in cultivation.

Description

from 

protologue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terrestrial perennial herb with epigeous or hypogeous simple or weakly branching, creeping stout rhizome (5)6–10(12) cm long bearing many dull greenish-gray wiry rigid roots; rhizome consisting of several 1-leaved sympodial plagiotropic segments, each (1.2)1.5–2(2.5) cm long, (0.6)0.8–1(1.2) cm diam., covered with pale yellowish-brown fi brous remains of cataphylls, terminal segments end with erect, strongly abbreviated ascending elementary shoots 4–6 mm tall, bearing several cataphylls and one erect leaf. Cataphylls rigid to herbaceous, purple-violet to green, triangular scale-like to oblong-lanceolate, enveloping leaf petiole, (1.5)2–2.5(3) cm long, (4.5)5–6(7) mm wide (when fl attened), early disintegrating. Leaves uniformly grassy green, petiolate; petiole stiff , rigid, erect, straight, (25)30–35(40) cm long, (2.8)3–3.5(3.8) mm diam., adaxially grooved; leaf blade suberect to arching, leathery to rigid, more or less fl at, elliptic, tapering to acute apex and cuneate base, (45)55–70(75) cm long, (8)12–14(16) cm wide, plane or slightly irregularly wavy along margin, with prominent median vein and numerous longitudinal, rather indistinct secondary veins. Flowers 1–2, arising laterally from leafy part of stem on terminal rhizome segment, shortly pedunculate, horizontally directed, widely opening, (3)3.2(3.4) cm diam. Peduncle rather straight, (5)6– 8(9) mm long, (2.7)2.8–3.2(3.3) mm diam., pale purple, with 3(4) imbricate bracts; sterile bracts entirely dark purple to almost black, broadly ovate, splitting in apical half, leathery, concave, imbricate and enveloping peduncle, (0.9)1–1.1(1.2) cm long and wide (when fl attened). Perigone fl eshy, with 8–10 free lobes; syntepalous part (perigone tube) urceolate, (1.4)1.6– 1.8(2) cm long, (1.8)2–2.2(2.4) cm wide, entirely dark purple on both surfaces, adaxially very glossy, with 8–10 prominent fl eshy keels coming from the middle of tube to the base of each lobe. Perigone lobes recurved at almost straight angle, white adaxially, dark purple outside, fl eshy and smooth, oblong narrowly ovate, (8)9–10(11) mm long, (3.5)4–5(6) mm wide, obtuse or blunt at apex, unequal, outer lobes a little longer than inner ones. Stamens 8–10 (usually as many as perigone lobes); anthers sessile, placed at the base of perigone tube, quite near the base of ovary, almost fl at, oblong to narrowly ovate, somewhat sank into the fl eshy perigone, (3.6)3.8–4(4.2) mm long, (2.2)2.4– 2.5(2.6) mm wide, well distant from each other; pollen sacs opening upwards, light yellow. Stigma circular in outline, almost sessile, fl eshy, oblate, (0.9)1–1.1(1.2) cm high, (1.6)1.7–1.8(2) cm diam.; basal half broadly obconoid, dark purple, radially ribbed; apical part convex, pale purple, indistinctly 4–5-lobed, obscurely wavy, fi nely papillose, with 4–5 indistinct irregular radial fi ssures. Ovary very indistinct, white, 4-celled. Fruits unknown.

Sourses:

Averyanov et al. (2021) – Novitates Systematicae Plantarum Vascularium 52: 26–32.

Gallery: