Aralia lihengiana J. Wen, L. Deng & X. Shi 2002, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wen, Jun
name: Deng, Lilan
name: Shi, Xiaochun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Apiales
Araliaceae
Aralia
Aralia lihengiana

description: Aralia lihengiana J. Wen, L. Deng & X. Shi, sp. nov.
Frutex epiphytica. Folia (3-)5-(7) foliolata, glabra; foliola chartacea, ovata, 9-21 × 5-13 cm, apice acuta vel acuminata, basi rotundata vel subcordata, raro cuneata, margine remote serrata. Inflorescentia terminalis, leviter pilosa; flores racemosi, pedicellis 1-1.5 longis; bracteola lanceolata, 0.7-1.2 mm longis; ovarium 3-4 raro 5 loculare. Fructus elliploidea, 3-4 × 2.2-3 mm, stylis connatis usque ad medium.
TYPUS. — Wen et al. 6515, China, Yunnan Prov., Tengcong Xian, Jaitou Xiang, Datang Village, near the source of Lunshuihe, at the border between the Gaoligongshan National Nature Preserve and private forests, riverside moist area in evergreen forest, epiphytic on a Litsea tree, 2300 m, 24 June 2002, fr. (holo-, F!; iso-, KUN!, PE!, SWFC!).
Epiphytic shrubs. Branches with conspicuous elliptic lenticels. Leaves exstipulate, 25-55 × 16- 32 cm, with (3-)5(-7) leaflets, petioles glabrous, 9-17 cm long; leaflets chartaceous, ovate, 9-21 × 5-13 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base rounded to subcordate to rarely acute, margins sparsely serrate, lateral veins 8-10 pairs, conspicuous on both sides, blades glabrous on both surfaces; petiolules glabrous, those of the two lower leaflets of the pinna with an inconspicuous articulation below the leaflet blade, those of the lateral leaflets 0.1-1.5 cm long, those of the terminal leaflets 3.5-7 cm long. Inflorescences terminal at the branch apex, pilose, primary branches 10-16, with a main axis 6-15 cm long; scales of the reproductive buds shiny brown, narrowly triangular, 1.5-2.2 × 0.8-1 cm; primary branches 18- 35 cm long, with 15-30 secondary branches; secondary branches 4-7 cm long, racemosely arranged on primary branches, secondary bracts lanceolate, 2-3.5 mm long. Flowers in a raceme, each secondary inflorescence branch bearing 15- 30 white flowers, pedicels pilose, 1-1.5 mm long at anthesis, bracteoles lanceolate, 0.7-1.2 mm long at anthesis. Sepals triangular, 0.25-0.3 mm long. Petals ovate, 1-1.3 mm long. Stamens 5, 1.5-1.8 mm long. Ovary 3-(or sometimes 4- to rarely 5-) locular, base of the style enlarged, forming a conical stylopodium-like structure; styles divided to the midpoint. Fruits ovoid-globose, 3- 4 × 2.2-3 mm, with recurved persistent styles. — Fig. 1.
ETYMOLOGY. — The species epithet honors Professor Li HENG at Kunming Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is a leading authority of the Gaoligongshan flora and who has been an inspiration to many young botanists.
PHENOLOGY. — Flowering in late May and June; fruiting in June.
DISTRIBUTION. — Western, southwestern to southern Yunnan, China.
ECOLOGY. — In evergreen to warm temperate forests; 1700-2650 m.
PARATYPES. — CHINA. Yunnan Prov.: Peng & Bai 990, Jingdong, Man Wan, Xingchun, 2080 m, 4 July 1993, fl. (KUN); Wu 9135, Jingdong, Xiao-huangchao-ba, 2500 m, 13 May 1963, fl. (KUN, 2 sheets); China-Soviet Union Exped. Team 1565, Jingping Xian, Yünping Xiang, Yanshijiao, 17 May 1956, bud (KUN, PE); Luchun Exped. Team 804, Luchun, at the border of Luchun and Yuanyang, 1700-1800 m, 13 May 1974, fl. (KUN, 2 sheets); Yü 16326, Shunning, Wenkuankai, 2100 m, in forest, 17 June 1938 (KUN, 2 sheets, PE, 2 sheets); Yü 16375, Shunning, Huaiyaopu, 2100 m, 19 June 1938, fl. (KUN, 3 sheets, PE, 2 sheets); Yü 16685, Shunning, Hila, 2650 m, in forest near ravine, 11 July 1938, fl. (KUN, 2 sheets, PE, 2 sheets); Wen et al. 6519, Tengcong Xian, Jaitou Xiang, Datang Village, Shijiapingzhi, 2000 m, in riverside evergreen forest, epiphytic on a Lithocarpus tree, 24 June 2002, fl. (F, KUN, SWFC); Northwest Yunnan Yangtze River Exped. Team 4221, Yangbi Xian, 2500 m, 2 June 1963, fl. (KUN, 2 sheets); 1984 Sino-Amer. Bot. Exped. 589, W side of Diancang Shan mountain range, vicinity of Dajiuping, broad-leaved evergreen fagaceous forest, 2500-2600 m, 25°50’N, 99°59’E, tree 10 m tall, fl. greenish white, in fl. clustered at branch apex, 30 June 1984 (BM, MO, 2 sheets); Yü 16894, Zhengkang (Chengkang), Hsiaoaifang, 2550 m, in forest, 22 July 1938, fl. (KUN, 2 sheets, PE, 2 sheets).
description: Published as part of Wen, Jun, Deng, Lilan & Shi, Xiaochun, 2002, Aralia lihengiana J. Wen, L. Deng & X. Shi, a new species of Araliaceae from China, pp. 217-220 in Adansonia (3) (3) 24 (2) on page 218, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4605150