Apostasia fogangica Y. Y. Yin, P. S. Zhong & Z. J. Liu 2016, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Yin, Ya-Yi
name: Zhong, Ping-Sheng
name: Zhang, Guo-Qiang
name: Chen, Li-Jun
name: Zeng, Si-Jin
name: Li, Ming-He
name: Liu, Zhong-Jian
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Liliopsida
Asparagales
Orchidaceae
Apostasia
Apostasia fogangica

description: Apostasia fogangica Y.Y.Yin, P.S.Zhong & Z.J.Liu, sp. nov. (Figs. 3, 4) (DZṆffifi)
Type: — CHINA. Guangdong (Ūľ): Fogang (DZ Ṇ), deep soils on the slopes of evergreen broad-leaved forests, 250 m, 16 June 2016, Liu 8640 (holotype: NOCC).
This new species is similar to A. shenzhenica and A. nipponica, but can be distinguished by its narrow ovate-lanceolate leaves that are 5.0–7.0 × 1.5–1.8 cm, with a 5–6 mm long apicule. The inflorescences are 4–5 cm long, with 12–15 flowers. The largest flowers are 1.2–1.6 cm and have similar sepals and petals, each with a 2 mm long apicule. The flowers also have the inner margins of two anthers connivent to form a Solanum -like anther, one stigma with a cavity and three-ridged fruits.
Terrestrial herbs, sometimes shrub-like, 10–19 cm tall. Rhizomes bearing many rootlets, tubers scattered along the roots, 3–4 mm in diameter, globular. Stems erect, lignified, uniparously branched, 15–19 cm long, 3–5 mm thick, multinodal, with a cylindrical sheath at a length of 8–10 mm, upper part of the sheath with 10–14 or more leaves. Leaves narrowly ovate-lanceolate, approximately 5.0–7.0 × 1.5–1.8 cm, with a filiform-apex, 5–6 mm long, the base contracted into a 8–10 mm long petiole, the base dilated and clasping the stem. Panicle arising from stem or branch apex, obliquely pointing downwards, 4–5 cm long, 12–15-flowered; bracts broadly ovate, 4–5 mm long; pedicel and ovary 1.4–1.6 cm long; flowers yellow, fully opening, 1.2–1.6 cm in diameter; sepals 3, similar to each other, narrowly oblong, 9–11 × 2–3 mm, central portion with a keeled protrusion that elongates at the apex into a 2 mm apicule; petals 3, similar to the sepals but slightly wider; stamens 3, basal part of filament fused with style to a form a cylindrical column, 2–3 mm long; a subquadrate nectary, 2 × 2 mm, upper portion of column slightly longitudinally sulcate; fertile stamens 2, each with a 1 mm free filament; anthers narrowly elliptic, 5.0–6.0 × 2.5–3.0 mm, the two apices equal, clasping the style and staminode below, the inner margins of the two anthers fused to form a Solanum -like anther (buzz pollination), each two-locular with powdery pollen; staminode opposite the dorsal sepal, fused with and shorter than the style, apex fully separated from upper part of the style; style 2.4–2.8 mm long, slightly shorter than anthers, stigma 1 with a cavity. Berry-like fruits long, cylindrical, green, three-ridged, 1.4–1.6 cm long, 2.0– 2.5 mm in diameter. Fl. May–June, fr. June–February.
Distribution and habitat:— Apostasia fogangica is terrestrial and grows in loose, rocky soil in broad-leaved forests at an elevation of approximately 250 m in Fogang, Guangdong Province, China.
Conservation status:— Thus far, only one population consisting of not more than 300 individuals has been found. Using the World Conservation Union Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN, 2012), A. fogangica should be considered critically endangered.
Etymology:— The species epithet refers to type locality.
Discussion:— Apostasia fogangica is distinct among species in the genus because it has narrow ovate-lanceolate leaves with a long, needle-like apicule. This species is otherwise morphologically similar to A. shenzhenica and A. nipponica, but they differ in habit, leaf, flower and genome size.
description: Published as part of Yin, Ya-Yi, Zhong, Ping-Sheng, Zhang, Guo-Qiang, Chen, Li-Jun, Zeng, Si-Jin, Li, Ming-He & Liu, Zhong-Jian, 2016, Morphological, genome-size and molecular analyses of Apostasia fogangica (Apostasioideae, Orchidaceae), a new species from China, pp. 59-67 in Phytotaxa 277 (1) on pages 63-66, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.277.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/13652856