[Botany • 2023] Endiandra macrocarpa (Lauraceae) • A New Tree Species from south-western China

Endiandra macrocarpa  D.Y.Zou, Lang Li & J.Li, 

in Zou, Cao, Zhang Li et Li, 2023. 

DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.224.102752

Abstract

Endiandra macrocarpa, a new species of Endiandra (Lauraceae) from Yunnan Province of south-western China, is here described and illustrated, based on morphological evidence. Compared to other Endiandra species occurring in south China and the adjacent regions in Indochina, this species is mainly characterised by its much larger ellipsoidal fruits (up to 11 × 6 cm), as well as glabrous branchlets and puberulent inflorescences.

Keywords: Endiandra, morphology, taxonomy, tropical montane forest, Yunnan Province

Morphology of Endiandra macrocarpa
A tree habit B flowering branchlet C fruiting branchlet displaying immature fruit D mature fruits.

Photographed by Lang Li and Guan-long Cao.

 Endiandra macrocarpa D.Y.Zou, Lang Li & J.Li, sp. nov.

 

Diagnosis: Compared to other Endiandra species occurring in south China and the adjacent regions in Indochina, this species is mainly characterised by its much larger ellipsoidal fruits (up to 11 × 6 cm), as well as glabrous branchlets and puberulent inflorescences.

Etymology: The specific epithet “macrocarpa” of the new species refers to its very large fruits compared to the other species within the genus Endiandra.

 Dian-yang Zou, Guan-long Cao, Jin-guo Zhang and Lang Li, Jie Li. 2023. Endiandra macrocarpa (Lauraceae), A New Tree Species from south-western China. PhytoKeys. 224: 183-192. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.224.102752

[Entomology • 2021] Litsea anamalayana (Lauraceae) • A New Species from Nelliyampathy Hills, India

Litsea anamalayana Robi & Udayan, 

in Robi & Udayan, 2021. 

DOI: 10.24823/EJB.2021.373 

 journals.RBGE.org.uk/EJB

ABSTRACT

The new species Litsea anamalayana Robi & Udayan, from Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. A detailed description is given, together with information on its distribution and ecology. Photographs of the new species are provided, as well as a comparison with the morphologically similar L. glabrata (Wall. ex Nees) Hook.f.

Keywords: Kerala, Lauraceae, Litsea, Palakkad, southern Western Ghats

Litsea anamalayana Robi & Udayan, sp. nov.
 A, Flowering twig; B, twig with unopened umbels; C, brachyblast with opened umbels; D, female flowers (close-up); E, tepals; F, outer eglandular staminodes and inner glandular staminodes; G, gynoecium; H, early stage of fruit setting; I, mature fruits.

Photographs: A. J. Robi.

Litsea anamalayana Robi & Udayan, sp. nov.

The new species is similar to Litsea glabrata (Wall. ex Nees) Hook.f., from which it is differs by its pubescent branchlets and petioles (versus glabrous); linear-oblong leaves (versus elliptic-oblong); narrowly attenuate base (versus acute to cuneate); acuminate apex (versus acute to attenuate); revolute margin (versus flat); 11–14 pairs of lateral veins (versus 9–12 pairs); 3–7 cm long, pubescent brachyblasts (reduced branchlets) (versus 5–12 cm long, glabrescent); 7 flowers in an umbel (versus 6); peduncle of umbels 8 mm long (versus 5 mm long); involucral bracts 6 (versus 4); c.1.5 mm long, ellipsoid ovary (versus c.1 mm long, subglobose); c.3.5 mm long style (versus c.2 mm long); lobed stigma (versus discoid); ellipsoid fruits (versus ovoid); puberulous perianth (versus glabrous); and 7 mm long, pubescent, angular fruiting pedicels (versus 10 mm long, terete, glabrous).

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new taxon is after the type locality that includes the Anamalai hills phytogeographical zone.

 

Robi A. J. and P.S. Udayan. 2021. Litsea anamalayana (Lauraceae) A New Species from Nelliyampathy Hills, India. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 78: 373. DOI: 10.24823/EJB.2021.373

  journals.RBGE.org.uk/EJB/article/view/373

[Botany • 2018] Alseodaphnopsis: A New Genus of Lauraceae based on Molecular and Morphological Evidence

 Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis H. W. Li & J. Li

in Mo, Li, Li,  Rohwer, Li & Li, 2018. 

 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186545 

Abstract

An investigation of a questionable species of the genus Alseodaphne led to the discovery of a new genus Alseodaphnopsis H. W. Li & J. Li, gen. nov., separated from Alseodaphne Nees, and a new species Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis H. W. Li & J. Li, sp. nov., endemic to Yunnan province, China. This new species is characterized by having big, axillary, paniculate inflorescences, as well as large, subglobose fruits. Based on DNA sequence data from two gene regions (nuclear ribosomal ITS and LEAFY intron II), we investigate its phylogenetic position within the Persea group. Phylogenies using maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) support the recognition of Alseodaphnopsis as a distinct genus but do not resolve well its relationship within the Persea group. The new genus is circumscribed, eight new combinations for its species are made, and a description and illustration of the new species are provided.

Fig 4. Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis H. W. Li & J. Li sp. nov. 
A. Branchlet with inflorescences; B. Branchlet with immature infructescences; C. Branchlet with mature fruits; D-F. Mature fruits; G-H. Flowers. (Photos by J.W. Li). 

Alseodaphnopsis H. W. Li & J. Li, gen. nov. 

Type: Alseodaphnopsis petiolaris (Meisn.) H. W. Li & J. Li 

(Nothaphoebe petiolaris Meisn., here designated)

Diagnosis: The new genus Alseodaphnopsis H. W. Li et J. Li is obviously very close to the genus Alseodaphne Nees (s. str.), but differs from the latter morphologically by 1) twigs thick, 4–11 mm in diam., and not obviously whitish in color; 2) terminal buds usually perulate; 3) perianth lobes ± persistent at least in young fruit; 4) inflorescences relatively large, 8.5–35 cm long, many-flowered, with 3–4 orders of branching; 5) fruits medium to large size (3–5 cm), without ribs.

Etymology: Alseodaphnopsis alludes to the resemblance to traditional Alseodaphne (s. str.)

Distribution and habitat: Alseodaphnopsis includes nine species, mainly distributed in the northern marginal part of the tropical zone in southwestern China, but extending also to NE India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. As far as it is known, the species grow preferentially in forests on limestone mountains.

 New combinations.

Here, we make eight new combinations for the species in this new genus as follows:

1) Alseodaphnopsis andersonii (King ex Hook. f.) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (SE & S Yunnan, SE Xizang); NE India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

2) Alseodaphnopsis petiolaris (Meisn.) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (S Yunnan); India and Myanmar.

3) Alseodaphnopsis sichourensis (H. W. Li) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (SE Yunnan).

4) Alseodaphnopsis marlipoensis (H. W. Li) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (SE Yunnan).

5) Alseodaphnopsis rugosa (Merr. & Chun) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (Hainan, SE Yunnan).

6) Alseodaphnopsis hainanensis (Merr.) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (Hainan); N Vietnam.

7) Alseodaphnopsis hokouensis (H. W. Li) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in China (SE Yunnan).

8) Alseodaphnopsis lanuginosa (Kosterm.) H. W. Li & J. Li, comb. nov. 

Distributed in N Vietnam.

Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis H. W. Li & J. Li, sp. nov. 

Type: China. Yunnan Province: Pu’er City, Ximeng County, ca. 1300 m altitude, in seasonal rain forest, 20 November 2011, J. W. Li 1235 (fl.) (Holotype, Isotypes: HITBC!).

Diagnosis: This new species shows a superficial similarity to Alseodaphnopsis petiolaris (Meisn.) H. W. Li & J. Li in its big leaves and elongated petioles, but differs by its glabrous twigs, leaves and panicles as well as subglobose big fruit.

Yue-qing Mo, Lang Li, Jian-wu Li, Jens G. Rohwer, Hsi-wen Li and Jie Li. 2018. Alseodaphnopsis: A New Genus of Lauraceae based on Molecular and Morphological Evidence.  PLoS ONE. 12(10): e0186545.   DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186545

[Entomology • 2017] Austrolecanium cryptocaryae • A Newly Recognised Australian Endemic Species of Austrolecanium Gullan & Hodgson 1998 (Hemiptera: Coccidae) from Queensland

Austrolecanium cryptocaryae  Lin & Cook

 DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4272.1.6 

Abstract

Austrolecanium cryptocaryae Lin & Cook sp. n. is described based on adult female morphology and DNA sequences from mitochondrial and nuclear loci. This Australian endemic species was found on the underside of leaves of Cryptocarya microneura (Lauraceae) in Queensland. All phylogenetic analyses of four independent DNA loci and a concatenated dataset show that A. cryptocaryae is monophyletic and closely related to A. sassafras Gullan & Hodgson, the type species of Austrolecanium Gullan & Hodgson. The adult female of A. cryptocaryae is described and illustrated and a table is provided of the characters that differ among adult females of the three species of Austrolecanium currently recognised (A. cappari (Froggatt), A. cryptocaryae sp. n. and A. sassafras).

Keywords: Coccomorpha, Coccoidea, Paralecaniini, Cryptocarya, COI DNA barcode, taxonomy, Hemiptera, Queensland

An adult female of Austrolecanium cryptocaryae sp. n. on a leaf of Cryptocarya microneura (Lauraceae) in Queensland, Australia.

Photo by L.G. Cook.  DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4272.1.6

Etymology. The other two species of Austrolecanium are named after their host plants, so we continue this tradition here. The species epithet cryptocaryae is derived from the genus name of the host plant, Cryptocarya microneura, and means "of Cryptocarya".

 Yen-Po Lin, Zheng Y. Ding, Penny J. Gullan and Lyn G. Cook. 2017. A Newly Recognised Australian Endemic Species of Austrolecanium Gullan & Hodgson 1998 (Hemiptera: Coccidae) from Queensland. Zootaxa.  4272(1); 119–130.   DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4272.1.6