Aspidistra xuansonensis (Asparagaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam

Abstract

The genus Aspidistra is the most diverse in southern China and northern Vietnam. We describe a new species Aspidistra xuansonensis from northern Vietnam including two varieties: A. xuansonensis var. xuansonensis with greenish white perianth and A. xuansonensis var. violiflora with purple perianth. We present DNA barcoding data of plastid psbA-trnH and nuclear 5SNTS regions for these two varieties in comparison with three other species of Aspidistra. Morphology of monopodial shoots of A. xuansonensis is described in detail. A. xuansonensis resembles recently described A. lingyunensis but differs in longer leaf petioles, longer lamina, perianth tube shape (tubular, widened at the base vs. funnel-shaped), higher anther position, and pistil shape (suddenly obconic to nearly umbrella-shaped vs. obconic gradually widened to stigma).

Aspidistra letreae (Asparagaceae), a new species from central Vietnam

“…Since last account of the genus Aspidistra Ker Gawler (1822: 628) in Vietnam reported 43 species (Tillich 2014), at least 25 additional species were discovered and described in this country (Averyanov & Tillich 2014, 2016, Vislobokov et al 2014a, 2014b, 2016, Leong-Skornickova et al 2014, Olivier 2015, Ly & Tilllich 2015, Vislobokov 2015, 2016. Meanwhile, the diversity of the genus in Vietnam and allied countries remains insufficiently inventoried.…”

Pollination of Vietnamese Aspidistra xuansonensis (Asparagaceae) by female Cecidomyiidi flies: Larvae of pollinator feed on fertile pollen in anthers of anthetic bisexual flowers

“…In the present study, we provide the first field observations of the pollination of a species of Aspidistra in the center of diversity of the genus. The species investigated here ( A. xuansonensis ) has been recently described from Phu Tho province in northern Vietnam (Vislobokov et al, 2014b). Using the data on A. xuansonensis , we confirm earlier ideas on the occurrence of myiophily in Aspidistra and answer the question regarding rewards for pollinators.…”

<p class="p0">Aspidistra guizhouensis (Asparagaceae), a new species from Guizhou, China

“…Aspidistra guizhouensis was identified as a new species after the study of relevant literature (Fang & Yu 2002, He 2002, Li & Tang 2002, Li & Wei 2003, Li 2004, Tillich 2005, 2006, Tillich et al 2007, Tillich & Averyanov 2008, Lin et al 2009, Hou et al 2009, Xu et al 2010a, 2010b, He et al 2011a, 2011b, 2013, Gao et al 2011, Hu et al 2014, Meng et al 2014, Vislobokov et al 2014a, 2014b, Sun et al 2014.…”