Name:

Aspidistra zhangii Aver., Tillich & K.S.Nguyen – Wulfenia 23: 62. (2016).

Holotype:

 

 

 

20 May 2016, L. Averyanov, NSK 762/AL210 [holotype: LE]. Type prepared from cultivated plant collected in northern Vietnam in 2014: Ninh Binh province, Nho Quan district, Cuc Phuong National Park, around point 20°15’03.6”N 105°41’58.7”E, at elevation about 165 m a.s.l., scattered in closed, evergreen, broad-leaved lowland secondary forests at the base of limestone, erect herb with long rhizome, fruit green, common, 9 December 2014, Nguyen Sinh Khang, NSK 762..

Distribution:

Vietnam: Ninh Binh province.

Phenology:

Flowering in cultivation in May–June, fruits in nature in December–January.

Description

from 

protologue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terrestrial perennial herb with epigeous few branching, plagiotropic rhizome. Rhizome thick, stout, rather long, up to 10 cm long, (4)5–6(7) mm in diam., covered by gray or yellowish-gray fibrous remains of cataphylls. Leafy shoot at apex of rhizome, ascending to suberect, very short, simple, (0.5)1–2(2.5) cm tall, (6)8–10(12) mm in diam., many-nodal, with few thick, light gray roots, 4–5 mm in diam. Young cataphylls conduplicate to almost tabular, narrowly triangular lanceolate (being flattened), obtuse, light green, herbaceous, straight, upright, (2)4–6(8) cm long, (2)4–6(8) mm wide, prominently broadening at the base. Leaves on individual shoot (2)3–5(6), petiolate; petiole dark green, stiff, rigid, erect to suberect, straight or slightly curved, (4)6–8(12) cm long, (1)1.5–2.5(3) mm in diam., adaxially grooved; leaf blade arching to almost horizontal, herbaceous to leathery, more or less flat, obliquely elliptic, slightly acuminate and acute at apex, (14)18–25(30) cm long, (3.5)4–7(8) cm wide, straight or hardly irregularly wavy along margin, uniformly grass-green on both sides, with prominent median and few secondary veins. Flowers (1)2–4(5), solitary, arising from basal part of leafy shoot, shortly pedunculate, odorless, widely opening, (1.8)2–2.2(2.4) cm in diam. Peduncle almost horizontal, very short, (2.5)3–4(5) mm long, light green to white, completely enveloped by 3–4(5) densely imbricate, sterile bracts; sterile bracts greenish tinged with dirty purple-brown to uniformly dirty purple-brown, broadly triangular, obtuse, with broad base, usually apically splitting, concave, papyraceous, (5)7–9(10) mm long, (5)6–14(16) mm wide (being flattened). Perigone tube widely obconical, white or white with greenish tint, fleshy, smooth and glossy, (1.3)1.4–1.6(1.7) cm long, (1.8)2–2.2(2.4) cm wide, with 6(7) free lobes at apex. Perigone lobes subequal, fleshy, slightly concave, smooth and glossy, uniformly dark purple-brown to almost black, broadly triangular ovate, (5.5)6–7(7.5) mm long, (6.5)7–8(8.5) mm wide, blunt to roundish at apex; petals with distinct triangular thickening abaxially near apex. Stamens 6, sessile, placed in middle part of the tube; anthers oblong elliptic, (3.6)3.8–4(4.2) mm long, (1.8)2–2.2(2.4) mm wide, distant from each other; pollen sacs introrse; pollen bright yellow. Pistil white; style fleshy, widely obconical, (8.5)9–10(11) mm tall and wide, with 12 (6 tall and 6 much smaller) longitudinal ridges, with deep grooves between them; stigma convex to almost hemispheric, (8.5)9–10(11) mm in diam., circular in outline, with 6 low, broadly triangular lobes, blunt or roundish at apex (sometimes with a small insignificant dent between lobes), fleshy, finely papillose, white. Ovary inconspicuous, very indistinct, white or white with light olive tint. Fruits globular, with rough, green surface, (1)1.2–1.4(1.5) cm in diam.

Sourses:

Averyanov L.V. et al. (2016) – Wulfenia 23: 57– 67.

Gallery: