Wednesday, January 15, 2020

[Botany • 2020] Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae (Rubiaceae, Rubioideae) • A New Species from Natma Taung (Mt.Victoria) National Park, Chin State, Myanmar


Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae S.S.Zhou & L.D.Duan

in Zhou, Li, ... et Duan, 2020.
 Plant Diversity of Southeast Asia-II. PhytoKeys. 138

Abstract
A new species, Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae S.S.Zhou & L.D.Duan, discovered at Natma Taung (Mt.Victoria) National Park, Chin State, Myanmar, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to O. dulongensis, but differs from the latter by its stipules broadly triangular, 2–4 mm long, inflorescence axillary, 1-flowered, bracts lanceolate to subulate, 1–2 mm long, puberulous, calyx pilose, 1–2 mm long, lobes and tube equal length, corolla narrowly funnelform, 15 mm long, puberulous outside.

Keywords: NatmaTaung (Mt. Victoria) National Park, taxonomy, new taxon


Figure 1. Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae S.S.Zhou & L.D.Duan, sp. nov. 
A Habitat B front view of flower and Inflorescence C infructescence D opened corolla of long styled flower E corolla inside and outside F stamen and style G fruit H seed.

Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae S.S.Zhou & L.D.Duan, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae is similar to Ophiorrhiza dulongensis H. S. Lo (1990: 27), but differs from it by the principal veins raised on both sides of leaf, stipules broadly triangular, 2–4 mm long, inflorescences axillary, 1-flowered, peduncles puberulous, bracts lanceolate to subulate, 1–2 mm long, puberulous, calyx pilose, 1–2 mm long, lobes and tube equal in length, and corolla narrowly funnelform, 15 mm long, puberulous outside, see Table 1.


Etymology: The new species was named after Mountain Victoria, Natma Taung National Park, Chin State, southwestern Myanmar, where it was discovered in a vast area of mountain forest.

Distribution and habitat: Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae is only known from the type locality. It is a terrestrial plant that grows in the floating soil on the stone in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, which is dominated by Lithocarpus xylocarpus (Kurz) Markg. (Fagaceae).
(နတ်မတောင်အမျိုးသားဥယျာဉ်)

Shi-Shun Zhou, Ren Li, Rui-Chang Quan, Law Shine and Lin-Dong Duan. 2020. Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae (Rubiaceae, Rubioideae), A New Species from Myanmar.  In: Jin X-H, Xia N-H, Tan Y-H (Eds) Plant Diversity of Southeast Asia-II. PhytoKeys. 138; 219-223. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.138.38966