Diplycosia Bartolomei (Ericaceae), a New Species From the Philippines

Abstract

A new species of Diplycosia (Ericaceae), Diplycosia bartolomei Ferreras & Argent, presently known only from Mt. Mingan in the border region between Aurora and Nueva Ecija provinces in Luzon, Philippines, is described. Comments on possible relationships and differences from other Philippine species are given.

Diplycosia platyphylla (Ericaceae), a new species from Mindanao, Philippines

“…Macromorphological characters derived from both the specimens and photographic images of the living material were compared with those from the relevant literature sources (Sleumer 1967; Argent 1982, 1989, 2002, 2013, 2014; Ferreras and Argent 2011), specimens that are available at BRIT, CAS, and E, and online type images accessed from JSTOR Global Plants (https://plants.jstor.org/). We focused in particular on the characters used for the most recent key to Philippine Diplycosia in Argent (2013).…”

“…Diplycosia Blume (Ericaceae: Vaccinioideae: Gaultherieae) comprises about 116 species distributed throughout Southeast Asia and New Guinea (Sleumer 1967; Argent 1982, 1989, 2002; Ferreras and Argent 2011; Argent 2013, 2014; Fritsch and Amoroso in press; Fritsch and Bush in press). The genus can be delimited from other genera of the tribe by a base chromosome number of x = 18 (vs 11), and a combination of (usually) entire leaf margins, fasciculate inflorescences, paired bracteoles borne at the apex of the pedicel, anthers with terminal tubules but with neither spurs nor disintegration tissue, and a capsule surrounded by an accrescent, fleshy calyx, or rarely a berry.…”

“…Nine species of Diplycosia are currently recognized in the Philippines, three having been described since the taxonomic treatment of Ericaceae for the Flora Malesiana (Sleumer1967; Ferreras and Argent 2011; Argent 2013; Fritsch and Amoroso in press). Because species of Diplycosia are often restricted to a single mountain or very few locations, more Philippine species of this genus likely await discovery (Argent 2013).…”

Diplycosia rigidifolia sp. nov. (Ericaceae) from Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia

“…During this work, we encountered two individuals that appeared to us to be similar to D. urceolata Stapf, but subsequent molecular phylogenetic analysis placed it well away from that species and instead as sister to D. sanguinolenta Sleumer (Fritsch et al ). Through further examination of the herbarium specimens made from these plants and a review of the relevant literature (Sleumer –1967, Argent , , , , , Ferreras and Argent ), we have determined that these plants represent an undescribed species, which is here described and illustrated.…”