Wednesday, April 8, 2020

[Botany • 2020] Capparis lianosa • A New Species from Limestones of the Luang Prabang Province [Studies on the Genus Capparis L. (Capparaceae) in Lao PDR. V]


Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane

in Fici & Souvannakhoummane, 2020. 

Abstract
A new species of Capparis L., Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane, is described and illustrated from limestones of the Muang Ngoi District, Luang Prabang Province, in northern Lao PDR. The new species, belonging to Capparis sect. Monostichocalyx Radlk., is related to C. zeylanica L., differing in several characters as the shorter stipular thorns, the leaves with apex acuminate, the shorter, glabrous or glabrescent gynophore and the flattened stigma.

KEY WORDS: Capparaceae, Capparis, Lao PDR, sect. Monostichocalyx, new species


Fig. 2. — Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane, sp. nov.:
 A, vegetative branch; B, leaf base with stipular thorn; C, flower; D, dissected flower showing sepals, petals, gynophore and ovary. (All from the holotype). Drawn by S. Fici. Scale bars: A, 1 cm; B, 4 mm; C, D, 3 mm.

Fig. 3. — Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane, sp. nov.:
A, habitat; B, view of the vegetation in the type locality; C, base of stem bearing knobs with thorns; D, vegetative branch; E, base of young leaf with stipular thorn; F, leaf; G, flower. Photos by S. Fici.

Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane, sp. nov. 
 A C. zeylanica L. spinis stipularibus minoribus, foliis cum apice acuminato, petalis brevioribus, gynophoro breviore glabro vel glabrescente, stigmate plano praecipue differt.

Fig. 1. — Known distribution of Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane, sp. nov.

Distribution and ecology. — The new species is only known from the type locality (Fig. 1), where few scattered individuals were observed in the evergreen forest at the top of a Permo-Carboniferous limestone formation, with Dracaena cambodiana Pierre ex Gagnep., Euphorbia antiquorum L., Ficus sp., Schefflera pueckleri (K. Koch) Frodin, Platycerium holttumii Joncheere & Hennipman, Asplenium nidus L. var. nidus (Fig. 3); 410-510 m a.s.l.


Silvio Fici and Keooudone Souvannakhoummane. 2020. Studies on the Genus Capparis L. (Capparaceae) in Lao PDR. V: A New Species from Limestones of the Luang Prabang Province.  Adansonia. 42(5); 113-118.  DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2020v42a5

RÉSUMÉ: Une nouvelle espèce de Capparis (Capparaceae) des calcaires de la province de Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Une nouvelle espèce de Capparis L., Capparis lianosa Fici & Souvannakhoummane, est décrite et illustrée des calcaires du district de Muang Ngoi, province de Luang Prabang, nord du Laos PDR. La nouvelle espèce appartient à Capparis sect. Monostichocalyx Radlk., et ressemble à C. zeylanica L., dont elle se distingue par plusieurs caractères comme les épines stipulaires plus courtes, les feuilles à sommet acuminé, le gynophore plus court, glabre ou glabrescent et le stigmate plat.