Name:

Aspidistra sutepensis K.Larsen – Dansk Bot. Ark. xx. 41 (1961).

Holotype:

Thailand: Chiang Mai. 11. Sept. 1958, 1400 m supra mare in solo humoso silvae sempervirentis montis Doi Sutep prope oppidum Chiengmai siti provinciae thailandicae Payap ab auctore sub numero 4929 lectus, in Museo Botanico Flauniensi depositus.

Specimens:

Thailand: Chiang Mai [Doi Inthanon NP, fl. buds 29 Sept. 1996, Bygrave 119 (K); same locality, fl. buds 8 Sept. 2008, Phonsena 6228 (BKF, L); same locality, fl. & fr. 17 Nov. 2007, Phonsena, Duyfjes, de Wilde & Chusithong 5668 (BK, BKF, Herbarium of Khao Hin Son Botanic Garden, L); same locality, fl. 1 Oct. 2005, Tillich 5081 (BKF, MSB); same locality, st. 10 Dec. 1984, Yahara & Nagamasu T-50053 (BKF, KYO, L); same locality, st. 15 Oct. 1979, Shimizu, Toyokuni, Koyama, Yahara & Santisuk T-18791 (BKF); Doi Ang Khang, fl. 13 Dec. 2009, Phonsena, Duyfjes & de Wilde 6508 (BKF); Doi Suthep, fl . buds 15 Nov. 1914, Kerr 3466 (K); same locality, st. 11 Sept. 1958, Sørensen et al. 4918 (BKF, C, L); same locality, Sept. 1958, Larsen 4929 (holotype C); same locality, fl. & immature fr., 5 Nov. 2005, Maxwell 05-635 (L); same locality, fl. 8 Dec. 2009, Phonsena, Duyfjes & de Wilde 6486 (BK, BKF, L, QBG)].

Distribution:

Thailand: Chiang Mai.

Phenology:

Flowers in October–December in nature.

Description

from 

protologue:

Rhizoma subterraneum, valde ramosum, teres, ca. 1 cm diam., foliis squami-formibus in duabus seriebus dense imbricatis indutum. Radices pauciores, sparsi, circa nodos praesertim congregati. Folia viridia ad nodos 6-10 cm distantes singula, petiolata. Petiolus ca. 15 cm longus, 5 mm diam., nervis longitudinalibus prominentibus. Lamina utrinque glabra, oblonge lanceolata, ad apicem versus attenuata, in petiolum sensim decrescens, usque ad 35 cm longa, ad 10 cm lata. Nervi secundarii usque ad 37, ca. 3 mm distantes. Inflorescendae ca. 5 cm longae, adscendentes, basi quaeque 2-3 folia squamiformia, supra bracteolam vaginantem, ca. 1 cm longam, squamiformem, duabus carinis parum manifestis ornatam, duabus partibus a basi distantem gerens. Sub ipso flore duae squamae triangulae, ca. 1.5 cm longae. Perianthium campanulatum, 9-lobum, ca. 2 cm longum, diam, plus quam 1.5 cm. Antherae 9 filamentis carentes, 4-loculae ante lobos perianthii in fauce insertae. Stylus brevis, validus, stigmate magno peltato-fungiformi, 5-fido (?), valde foveolato. Flores plane aperti ut fructus ignoti.

Description (amended):

Perennial glabrous herb, with diffuse habit. Rhizome subterranean, laxly much-branched, ca 5 mm in diam., with dense imbricate scales in two rows and solitary large green leaves, 4–10 cm spaced, the petiole at base enveloped by fi brous remnants of cataphylls to 10 cm long; roots mostly inserted near the nodes. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, (20–)30–35 by (5–)7–10 cm, with or without scattered, paler, yellowish-green blotches 0.5(–1) cm in diam., base narrowed into the pseudopetiole, apex attenuate, acute; secondary veins numerous, 1–2 mm spaced; pseudopetiole 15–40 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, with prominent longitudinal veins. Scape solitary (1–4 per shoot), erect (or ascending), 3–10 cm long, bearing 2 or 3 0.5–1 cm long, spaced, scale-like bracts and 2 further pale, broadly ovate bracts of the same size at the base of the flowers. Perianth outside at base pale dirty creamy-brownish, in upper half and inside purplish-red, carnose, subcampanulate (to slightly urceolate), 1.5–2 by 1.5–2 cm, base broadly rounded, lobes 8–9, in one row, valvate in bud, outside smooth, inside with 2 blunt ridges, suberect, ca 10 mm long, at apex slightly recurved; stamens 8–9, inserted in the tube below the stigma, anthers subsessile, 3–3.5 mm long; pistil 7–8 mm long, stigma peltate, 1.2–1.5 cm in diam., red(-brown) with white triangular blotches above, ovary ca 5 mm long and wide. Fruit borne at apex of erect fruiting scape 5–10 cm long, situated just below soil surface, creamy, tinged bright purplish-red towards apex, slightly depressed globose, ca 2.5 by 3–4 cm, smooth with withered stigma at apex. Seeds 5–6, subglobose, 8–10 mm in diam., pale.

Sourses:

K.Larsen (1961) – Dansk Bot. Ark. 20(1): 37–55; Phonsena & De Wilde (2010) – Thai For. Bull. (Bot.) 38: 48–58.

Gallery: