Typhonium baoshanense Z. L. Dao & H. Li, a new species of Araceae from western Yunnan, China

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2007
Authors:Zhi-Ling, D. A. O., Shao-Tian, C. H. E. N., Yun-Heng, J. I., Heng L.
Journal:Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica. Additamentum. Beijing
Volume:45
Issue:2
Start Page:234
Pagination:238
Keywords:Araceae, China, new species, Typhonium, Typhonium baoshanense Z. L. Dao & H. Li, Yunnan
Abstract:

Typhonium baoshanense Z. L. Dao & H. Li (Araceae: Areae), a new species from western Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. This species differs mainly from other species of Typhonium by the presence of one to two rings of sterile male flowers above the fertile male flowers, and from T. blumei Nicolson & Sivadasan by a conic female part of the spadix, the appendix not being truncate at its base, and by the angustate limb of the spathe. The chromosome number of Typhonium blumei, which occurs in same area, is 2n=52, while the chromosome number of the new species is 2n=10. The chromosome number of the new species is the lowest in the family Araceae.

DOI:10.1360/aps050136
Full Text

Typhonium Schott (Araceae: Areae) is a genus containing about 60 (44) species (Schott, 1832; Sriboonma et al., 1994; Hay, 1997; Mayo et al., 1997; Hetterscheid & Boyce, 2000; Hetterscheid & Nguyen, 2001; Hetterscheid et al., 2001; Wang et al., 2002), excluding Sauromatum Schott species which were moved into Typhonium by Hetterscheid and Boyce (2000). The genus Typhonium is generally distributed in south, southeast and east Asia, and extends throughout the Pacific area to Australasia. Some species are weeds and have become naturalized in various parts of the world outside Asia. There are 16 species reported in northern and southern provinces of China except Jilin and Xinjiang (Li, 1979; Li & Liu, 1983; Li & Long, 1998; Wang et al., 2002).
In the summer of 2003, during an expedition in the Baihualing, Baoshan, Yunnan Province, we encountered an unusual population of Typhonium. After having carefully examined the relevant herbarium specimens, reviewed the relevant literatures, and investigated the chromosome number, we provide here the morphological and karyological evidence and conclude that these plants are sufficiently distinct to be recognized as a new species.

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