Tuesday, July 2, 2019

[Botany • 2019] Agapetes reflexiloba (Ericaceae) • A New Species from Kachin State, and Notes on Three Rediscovered Species including Two New Records for Myanmar [Taxonomic Studies on Agapetes in Myanmar I]


Agapetes reflexiloba Y. H. Tan & Bin Yang

in Yang, Ding, Zhou, et al., 2019. 

Abstract
A new species of Ericaceae, Agapetes reflexiloba, from Putao, Kachin State, Myanmar, is described and a colour plate is provided, affiliated to Agapetes sect. Agapetes ser. Graciles Airy-Shaw. The new species is morphologically similar to A. nutans, A. linearifolia and A. angustifolia of the Series Graciles in having linear to lanceolate narrow leaves and corymbose-racemose inflorescences and very short filaments. It is, however, readily distinguished from its three relatives by having a purplish red to dark red acuminate corolla apex in flower buds and conspicuously reflexed corolla lobes in anthesis, and corolla light brownish yellow to brownish yellow, and with 5 deep purple red zig-zag stripes. The rediscovery of Agapetes bhareliana and A. linearifolia is also reported from Kachin state, Northern Myanmar, after a gap of more than eight decades. Both are new records for Myanmar. Agapetes nana was also recollected 64 years after the collection made by F. Kingdon Ward between 1952 and 1953. Agapetes nana (Griff.) Hook. f. var. robusta Airy Shaw is newly proposed as a synonym of A. nana. A revised taxonomic description along with colour plate and distributional map are provided.

Keywords: Kachin state, Vaccinioideae, Ericaceae, new record, Southeast Asia, Taxonomy, Eudicots



FIGURE 1. Agapetes reflexiloba Y. H. Tan & Bin Yang.
A–B. Flowering branch; C–D. Inflorescence; E–F. Flower; G. Stamen; H. Flower dissection (from top to bottom and from left to right): corolla, stamen, style along with ovary and pedicel, calyx.
 Photographed by H.B. Ding & B. Yang.

Agapetes reflexiloba Y. H. Tan & Bin Yang, sp. nov. 

Agapetes reflexiloba is morphologically similar to A. nutans Dunn, A. linearifolia C. B. Clarke, and A. angustifolia (Knagg) Airy Shaw in having linear to lanceolate narrow leaves and corymbose-racemose inflorescences (Table 1). It is, however, readily distinguished from its three relatives by corolla lobes conspicuous reflexed in anthesis, corolla light brownish yellow to brownish yellow, and with 5 deep purple red zig-zag stripes.
...

 Etymology: The species epithet refers to its strongly reflexed corolla lobes. 

Distribution and habitat: Agapetes reflexiloba is so far known only from the type locality of Putao, Kachin state in north Myanmar, where it is an epiphytic shrub that grows on the trees in montane broadleaved forests, at an elevation of ca. 1,100 m (Figure 6)

    


Agapetes bhareliana (Airy Shaw 1958: 477) 
D. Banik & Sanjappa in Nord. J. Bot. 26: 4, 2008. 

Distribution and habitat: Agapetes bhareliana is distributed in Myanmar (Figure 6) and India. It is here newly recorded from Myanmar


Agapetes linearifolia C. B. Clarke 
in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. 3, 449, 1882 (Figure 3, A-F) 

Distribution and habitat: China, India, Myanmar: Kachin state, where it is an epiphytic shrub that grows on the trees around the streamside of Nam Tsang, at 520 m a.s.l. (Figure 6). It is newly recorded from Myanmar.

Agapetes nana (Griffith 1854a: 303, 1854b: t.505) 
Hook. f. in Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Pl. 2(2), 571,1876 (Figures 4–5)


Distribution and habitat: India, Myanmar: Kachin state, where it is an epiphytic shrub that grows on the trees in montane broadleaved forests, at 700–1,200 m a.s.l. (Figure 6).


Bin Yang, Hong-Bo Ding, Shi-Shun Zhou, Mya Bhone Maw, Kyaw Win Maung and Yun-Hong Tan. 2019.  Taxonomic Studies on Agapetes in Myanmar I: Agapetes reflexiloba, A New Species from Kachin State, and Notes on Three Rediscovered Species including Two New Records for Myanmar. Phytotaxa. 393(2); 105–118.  DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.393.2.2

A New Species of Ericaceae Found in Northern Myanmar -     english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/201902/t20190221_205567.shtml