Peliosanthes cupuliformis (Asparagaceae), a new species from central Laos

Abstract

We describe a new species, Peliosanthes cupuliformis, from central Laos with photographic illustrations and relevant taxonomic data. The species appears to be a local endemic confined to a karstic limestone area of Khammouane Province (Boualapha District). It is readily distinguishable from all other congeners by a suit of unique traits such as the dwarf habit, laterally revolute perianth segments, short truncate annular or cup‐shaped staminal corona, and broadly conoid pistil with a centrally slightly sunken stigma. Its relationship to P. divaricatanthera known from central Vietnam and Yunnan, China, is briefly discussed. A preliminary identification key to all the species of Peliosanthes so far known from Laos is also provided.

New and noteworthy species of Ophiopogon and Peliosanthes (Asparagaceae) from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand

“…Until now, information on the distribution of P. teta on the Indochinese Peninsula has been scarce and doubtful (Tanaka 2018). Peliosanthes teta is listed in the checklist of Laos (Newman et al 2007), but this indication was based on two fruiting specimens, M.F.Newman LAO 97 (E) and LAO 192 (E), and at least the latter is not P. teta s.str., as noted previously (Averyanov et al 2020). Here, we report the presence of this species in Laos on the basis of flowering material for the first time.…”

“…These three genera are widely distributed over the temperate to tropical regions of south, southeast and east Asia (Jessop 1976, Tanaka 2001). The number of known species of this group, especially of Peliosanthes , has been rapidly increasing during the past decades (Fang 1998, Tanaka 1999, 2018, Averyanov and Tanaka 2012, Averyanov et al 2015, 2016, 2020, Vislobokov 2016, Nguyen et al 2017b, 2020, Nong et al 2019, Borah et al 2020, Odyuo et al 2020, Roy et al 2020, Tanaka and Kalyuzhny 2020, Taram et al 2020, Vislobokov et al 2020). A similar situation is found in Aspidistra Ker Gawler (1822: 628), another Asian member of Ophiopogoneae, or Nolinoideae (Lang et al 1999, Bogner and Arnautov 2004, Tillich 2005, 2014, Averyanov and Tillich 2014, Vislobokov et al 2014, Nguyen et al 2017a, Tanaka 2017).…”