Sunday, July 16, 2017

[Botany • 2017] Rungia sinothailandica • A New Species (Acanthaceae) from China and Thailand


Rungia sinothailandica Z. L. Lin &Y. F. Deng


Abstract

Rungia sinothailandica (Acanthaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China and Chiang Rai, Thailand is described and illustrated. A colour plate, line drawing and distribution map of R. sinothailandica are provided. Rungia sinothailandica is similar to R. pinpienensis H. S. Lo, but differs in the broadly ovate sterile bracts and obovate-elliptic fertile bracts, the crispate and tawny bracts margin, the 2-lobed upper lip of the corolla and puberulent capsule. It is also similar to R. burmanica (C. B. Clarke) B. Hansen, but is easily distinguished by pubescent stems and leaves, the cymbiform-oblong bracteoles and the 2-lobed upper lip of corolla.


Figure 1. Rungia sinothailandica sp. nov.
(A) habit, (B) inflorescences with flowers, (C) inflorescence, abaxial view showing the sterile bracts, (D) inflorescence, adaxial view showing the fertile bracts, (E) flower, (F) sterile bract, (G) fertile bract, (H) bracteoles, (I) calyx, (J) corolla.
Photographed by Z.-L. Lin. 

Rungia sinothailandica Z. L. Lin &Y. F. Deng sp. nov. 

Etymology: The specific epithet sinothailandica , that is derived from ‘sino’ meaning ‘Chinese’ and ‘thailandica’ meaning ‘Thai’ , refers to that the new species was found in China and Thailand. 


Zhe-Li Lin and Yun-Fei Deng. 2017. Rungia sinothailandica sp. nov. (Acanthaceae) from China and Thailand.  Nordic Journal of Botany.   DOI: 10.1111/njb.01497