Tuesday, January 5, 2021

[Botany • 2021] Hypericum perryongii (Hypericaceae) • A New Species from Mindanao Island, Philippines

 

Hypericum perryongii Galindon

in Galindon, Penneys, Lagunday, ... et Fritsch, 2021. 

Abstract
Hypericum perryongii, from Mindanao Island, Philippines, is herein described and illustrated. This new taxon closely resembles both H. geminiflorum and H. formosanum but can be easily distinguished from the former by its larger corolla and calyx lobes and higher number of stamens per fascicle, and from the latter by its terminally 1-flowered inflorescences and the subsessile and abaxially glaucous leaves.
Keywords: biodiversity, Mount Hamiguitan, section Takasagoya, ultramafic forests, Eudicots


   

FIGURE 1. Hypericum perryongii Galindon sp. nov. 
A. Flower. B. Fruit. C. Abaxial leaf surface of a dried leaf showing dense glandular dots. D. Seeds. E. Portion of the narrow summit of Mount Hamiguitan where the species was collected. F. Habit.
Scale bars: 1.0 cm (A, B, C, F); 0.5 mm (D). 
Photos: A–E by J.M.M. Galindon; F by D.N. Tandang. 
(A–E from Plants and Lichens of the Southern Philippines Survey 1320; F from V.B. Amoroso 18826.)

FIGURE 2. Hypericum perryongii Galindon sp. nov. 
A. Flowering branchlet. B. Leaf, abaxial view. C. Sepal. D. Petal. E. Fruit. F. Seed.
A, D by Samuel Guarino; B, C, E, F by J.M.M. Galindon.
 (All from Plants and Lichens of the Southern Philippines Survey 1320.)
 
 Hypericum perryongii Galindon, sp. nov. 

 Diagnosis:—Hypericum perryongii closely resembles H. geminiflorum based on leaf morphology, completely united styles of 5, and bright yellow petals and anthers. Hypericum perryongii, however, is distinguished from H. geminiflorum by its always 1-flowered and terminal inflorescences (vs. 2- to 3-flowered and axillary), larger flower diameter (40–45 mm vs. 20–30 mm), larger sepals (6–8 × 3–4 mm vs. 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm), larger petals (20–22 × 15–17 mm vs. 9–15 × 5–7 mm), higher number of stamens per fascicle (25–30 vs. 6–11), longer styles (13–16 mm vs. 4–7 mm), and ovoid capsules (vs. narrowly cylindric). It is also similar to the Taiwanese species H. formosanum Maximowicz (1881: 428) but H. formosanum has terminal inflorescences that are 1–3-flowered and 1–2-flowered on subsidiary branches (vs. strictly terminal and 1-flowered in H. perryongii) and sessile and not glaucous leaves (vs. subsessile and abaxially glaucous).

Distribution and habitat:— This species is endemic to the Philippines, Mindanao Island, Davao Oriental Province, San Isidro Municipality, in the MHRWS. It was encountered on a narrow and exposed ridge near the mountain summit with an ultramafic substrate at 1563 m a.s.l.

Etymology:— The species is named in honor of Dr. Perry S. Ong (1960–2019), renowned academician, scientist and conservation biologist from the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Throughout his career, Dr. Ong championed the protection and conservation of Philippines biodiversity through science-based policies and the participation of local communities.


John Michael M. Galindon, Darin S. Penneys, Noel E Lagunday, Danilo N. Tandang, Fulgent P. Coritico, Victor B. Amoroso and Peter W. Fritsch. 2021. Hypericum perryongii (Hypericaceae), A New Species from Philippines. Phytotaxa. 478(1); 61–66. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.478.1.4