Monday, July 11, 2016

[Botany • 2014] Billolivia moelleri • A New Species of Billolivia (Gesneriaceae) from Ninh Thuận Province, South Central Coast, Vietnam


Billolivia moelleri
D.J.Middleton  sbg.org.sg
ABSTRACT
 The new species Billolivia moelleri D.J.Middleton from Núi Chúa National Park
in Ninh Thuận Province in Vietnam is described. A provisional IUCN conservation assessment
and a new key to the species of Billolivia are provided.

Keywords: Billolivia, Gesneriaceae, new species, Vietnam


Billolivia moelleri D.J.Middleton sp. nov.
Similar to Billolivia violacea D.J.Middleton & H.J.Atkins in the violet corolla lobe tips and the presence of a calyx tube but differing in the leaf margins being more coarsely dentate, in the dark purple lines in the corolla, and in the corolla being smaller overall. It also shows similarities to Billolivia vietnamensis D.J.Middleton & Luu in the overall corolla size and in the purple lines in the corolla but that species has the calyx divided to the base and the corolla lobes are white.


TYPE: Vietnam, Ninh Thuận Prov., Ninh Hải Dist., Vĩnh Hải Commune, Núi Chúa National Park, trek from Kiền Kiền village to Núi Chúa peak, 758 m, 11°44’27.4”N 

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr Michael Möller of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for his contribution to our understanding of the Gesneriaceae in Asia, including as a co-author on the paper in which the genus Billolivia was first described.


D.J. Middleton, J. Leong-Škorničková and Q.B. Nguyễn. 2014. A New Species of Billolivia (Gesneriaceae) from Vietnam. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore. 66(2): 189–194.