Saturday, November 3, 2018

[Botany • 2018] Hedychium viridibracteatum (Zingiberaceae) • A New Species from Guangxi Autonomous Region, South China


Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu

in Hu, Huang, Tan, Wu & Chen, 2018. 

Abstract
Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu, a new species from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, South China, is described and illustrated. Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu is included in the short-anther group of Hedychium and is most similar to Hedychium villosum Wall. var. tenuiflorum Voigt ex Baker, H. villosum Wall. var. villosum Wall., and H. chingmeianum N. Odyuo & D. K. Roy.

Keywords: Hedychium, Zingiberaceae, new species, Guangxi Autonomous Region




Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu, sp. nov. is morphologically similar to H. villosum Wall. var. tenuiflorum Voigt ex Baker by having sagittate anther, long filament, relatively thick and small leaves, more than two flower per-bract, but can be easily distinguished from it by its green (vs. brown) shorter bracts (1.3–1.5 × 0.4–0.5 cm vs. 2.7–2.9 × 1.1–1.2 cm) and bracteoles (1.0–1.1 × 0.3–0.4 cm vs. 2.1–2.2 × 0.7–0.75 cm), pure white flowers (vs. white with red stamen), dentate (vs. acute) tips to the lateral staminodes, and the apex of the labellum incised to the middle (vs. deeply divided).
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Figure 1. Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu, sp. nov., holotype.
A upper leaves and inflorescence B flower C bract D ovary and glands E calyx tube F floral tube with calyx tube wrapped outside G corolla lobe H lateral staminodes I labellum J stamen K anther L stigma.
Drawings Y. X. Liu.

Figure 3. Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu sp. nov. 
A habit (growing on rocks) B rachis and bracts (pubescent) C ligule (glabrous) D inflorescence at anthesis E leaf blade surface (adaxial view) F leaf blade surface (abaxial view) G rhizome H portions of inflorescence (2–4 flowers per bract).


 Figure 2. Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu, sp. nov., flowers and their parts:
A bract B bracteole C ovary D calyx tube E floral tube F corolla lobe G lateral staminodes H labellum I labellum claw J filament K anther. 

Etymology: The new species is named after its green bracts and pure white flowers which are highly diagnostic.

Habitat: This species is currently found on limestone rocks in Guangxi Autonomous Region (Napo, Longzhou and Jingxi Counties) mainly growing under forest at altitudes of 600–800 m.


Xiu Hu, Jia-qi Huang, Jia-chuan Tan, Yong-qing Wu and Juan Chen. 2018. Hedychium viridibracteatum X.Hu, A New Species from Guangxi Autonomous Region, South China. PhytoKeys. 110: 69-79. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.110.28710