Cryptolepis lancifolia (Asclepiadaceae: Periplocoideae), a new species from Irian Jaya

3 Pages·1991·0.66 MB·

by  Forster, Paul I

BLUMEA 35 (1991) 381-383
Cryptolepis lancifolia(Asclepiadaceae: Periplocoideae),
a new species from Irian Jaya
Paul+I. Forster
QueenslandHerbarium,DepartmentofPrimaryIndustries,MeiersRoad,Indooroopilly,
Queensland4068,Australia
Summary
Cryptolepis lancifolia spec. nov. is described from IrianJaya,New Guinea. Akey to Crypto-
lepisR.Br.inNewGuinea isprovided.
Introduction
An account ofCryptolepis R. Br. inAustraliaandNew Guineahasbeenrecently
published (Forster, 1990),whereinasingle species was recognised forAustraliaand
two forNewGuinea. Subsequent to thatpaperbeing accepted forpublication Ire-
ceivedaloanofundeterminedNewGuineaAsclepiadaceae fromtheRijksherbarium
(L). Includedinthatloanwas materialofanadditionalundescribedspecies ofCryp-
tolepis whichis namedinthispresentpaper.
TAXONOMY
Cryptolepis lancifolia P. Forster, spec. nov. - Fig. 1.
Ad C.papillatamP.Forsteraffinis,aqua foliis lineari-lanceolatis etlobis corollac lanceolatis,
16-17 mm longis, ca. 5 mm latis, differt. — Typ us: Ridsdale,Henty & GaloreNGF 31999
(L, holo;LAE, iso,n.v.), 17 July 1967,West Irian: Okwalimkan Riverheadwaters, 15°02' S,
140° 55' E.
Light vine,epiphytic, latexcolourunknown.Stemscylindrical, up to2mm diam-
eter; internodes variablein length to 8 cm, becoming lenticellatewith age. Leaves
petiolate; laminalinearto narrow-lanceolate,5.5-8.5 cm long and 3-6mm wide,
secondary andtertiary venationabsent, glabrous; tip acuminate; base cuneate;petiole
3-5 mm long and c. 0.4 mm wide, glabrous. Cyme up to 10 cm long, with2 or 3
fascicles; bracts lanceolate-ovate, c. 1 mm long, 0.6-0.7 mm wide, glabrous; pe-
duncleup to 3.5cm long and 0.5 mm diameter,glabrous. Flowerrotate, 5-6mm
long, 28-30 mm diameter; pedicels 32-35 mm long, c. 0.5 mm diameter, gla-
brous. Sepals lanceolate, c. 3 mmlong and0.8 mm wide, glabrous. Corolladeep
purple-red; tubec. 3mmlong and4mm diameter; lobeslanceolate, 16-17mmlong
and c. 5 mm wide,externally glabrous, internally with densepapillae 0.8-1 mm in
length. Coralline coronaconsisting ofsmall lobes fused to base offilamentsand
corolla tube, each lobe c. 0.1 mm long. Stamens 1.3-1.4mm long; each filament
382 BLUMEA VOL. 35, No. 2, 1991
Fig. 1.HolotypeofCryptolepis lancifolia P.Forster.
P.I. Forster: A new species of Cryptolepis from Irian Jaya 383
c. 0.9 mmlong and 0.1 mmwide; each anther c.0.5 mm long and0.3 mmwide;
appendages lanceolateand twisted together, each c. 1 mmlong and 0.6 mmwide.
Style-headpentagonal, conical, c. 1.3 mmlong and0.9mm diameteratapex.Trans-
lators andpollen not seen.Folliclesand seednot seen.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Irian Jaya, New
Guinea.
Habitat.Thisspecies isrecorded fromlowermontaneforest, onmoss-cover-
eredbranchesoftrees at3300maltitude.
Etymology. Thespecific epithet alludesto the linearto narrow lanceolate
leavesofthistaxon.
DISCUSSION
The new species describedaboveappearsto be most closely relatedto Crypto-
lepispapillata P.Forster from Papua New Guinea, on thebasisofthepapillose co-
rollaandreducedcorollinecorona. However,itis markedly distinctfromthis species
interms ofthelinearto narrow-lanceolateleavesand themuch largerrotate flowers
with lanceolatecorollalobes.WhileC.lancifolia is adistinctive taxon unlikelyto be
confusedwithmostother Asclepiadaceae known fromNew Guineaon account of
thedistinctiveleaves, itcouldpossiblybe confusedwith sterilematerialofthe super-
ficially similarParsonsiabrassii Markgraf(Apocynaceae).
Thethreespecies ofCryptolepis presently known tooccurinNew Guineamaybe
identifiedusing thefollowing key:
la. Laminalineartonarrow-lanceolate;corollalobes 16-17mmlong
C. lancifolia
b. Laminalanceolateor elliptic toovate; corollalobes4-10mmlong 2
2a. Laminalanceolate; corollalobespapillate, 4-5 mm long C.papillata
b. Laminaelliptic toovate; corollalobesnot papillate,c. 10mmlong C. nymanii
.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Iam gratefultotheRijksherbarium (L) forloan ofmaterial.Staffatthe QueenslandHerbarium
allowed useoffacilities,arrangedandprocessedloan material. TheLatin translation ofthe diagnosis
waskindly suppliedby A.S. George.Thiswork was supportedby grants from the Australian Bio-
logicalResources Studyduring 1988 to 1990.
REFERENCE
FORSTER,P.I. 1990.NotesonAsclepiadaceae,2.Austrobaileya3:273-289.