Aspidistra viridiflora (Asparagaceae, Nolinoideae), a new species from Vietnam

Abstract

One following the news of systematics of the genus Aspidistra Ker Gawler (1822: 628) should notice that the year 2016 brought us at least 16 new taxa, including 15 new species and one subspecies (Averyanov & Tillich 2016, Averyanov et al. 2016, Liang et al. 2016, Liu et al. 2016, Ly & Tillich 2016, Pan et al. 2016, Tanaka 2016, Vislobokov 2016, Vislobokov et al. 2016a, 2016b, Zhou et al. 2016). Indeed, Aspidistra is a large and rapidly growing genus which comprises about 160 species, including more than 60 of them known in Vietnam (e.g., Tillich 2005, 2008, 2014, Averyanov & Tillich 2015, 2017, Colin 2015, Vislobokov 2015, 2016, Averyanov et al. 2016, Vislobokov et al. 2016a, 2016b).

New taxa and taxonomic notes in Aspidistra (Convallariaceae s.s.) in China, Laos and Vietnam

“…It is noteworthy that flowering in Vietnam was observed in December-January, whereas in southern China it is reported as March-April (Liang and Tamura 2000). Aspidistra viridiflora, described recently from Kon Tum province of southern Vietnam (Vislobokov et al 2017), is certainly very close to A. hainanensis and may be regarded as a form or variety of the species with another flower color scheme.…”

Leaf epidermal micromorphology in Aspidistra (Asparagaceae): diversity and taxonomic significance

“…Another non-floral character that was shown to have taxonomic significance in Aspidistra is the distribution of foliage leaves along the shoot (De Wilde and Vogel 2006;Averyanov and Tillich 2014). Shoots of Aspidistra consist of repeatedly developing elementary shoots, each elementary shoot bearing several cataphylls followed by one to several foliage leaves (Vislobokov et al 2014(Vislobokov et al , 2017. The species of Aspidistra can be divided into two groups: the first group is characterized by solitary leaves (i.e., one foliage leaf per elementary shoot), and in the second group the leaves are arranged in tufts (i.e., 3-5 foliage leaves per elementary shoot).…”

New taxa and new records in Aspidistra (Convallariaceae s.s.) of Laos and Vietnam

“…Available data indicate eastern Indochina as the largest center of species diversity of this genus. The most recent results of investigations in this area have been summarized in a series of recent publications (Averyanov and Tillich , , Averyanov et al , , , b, , b, Vislobokov 2015, , Vislobokov et al , , Nguyen et al , , Nuraliev et al , Tillich et al , Tillich and Averyanov ). Meanwhile, the diversity of the genus is still far from well known and understood.…”