Mycetia hirta Hutch (Rubiaceae), a new record for the flora of Viet Nam

Life ScienceS | Biology Vietnam Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering68 September 2020 • Volume 62 Number 3 Introduction The genus Mycetia, comprising approximately 45 species, is distributed in tropical to subtropical Asia. 15 species are recorded from China [1], and four species from Laos [2]. The genus has been taxonomically studied by several authors [3, 4] and currently known with two species distributed in Vietnam. During a recent fieldwork to Muong Phang district, Dien Bien province in northern Vietnam, the first and the third author found an unrecorded species of Mycetia in Vietnam and collected specimens. This species is similar to M. longifolia (Wall.) Kuntze, but can be differentiated by its hairy stem and leaf blades, much shorter corolla tube and hirtellous calyx and corolla. After refering to related literature and type specimens, we found that this species should be M. hirta Hutch. and never recorded from Vietnam. The detailed comparision of M. hirta and M. longifolia was given in Table 1. Table 1. Morphological comparison of M. hirta with M. longifolia. Morphological characters M. hirta M. longifolia Height 1-1.5 m tall to 2 m tall Leaf blade oblong-elliptic to elliptic sometimes ovate, 8-23×4-8.5 cm, both surfaces moderately to densely hispidulous elliptic-lanceolate or elliptic, 5-18(-35)×3-7(-10) cm, adaxially sparsely strigillose, hispidulous, or glabrous Peduncle 0.7-3.3 cm; branched portion 2-8×2.3-9 cm 0.5-1.5 cm, branched portion 3-4×5-6 cm Calyx densely hirtellous, hypanthium ca. 2 mm long glabrous; hypanthium ca. 1.5- 2 mm long Corolla outside sparsely to densely villosulous or hirtellous, tube 5-6.2 mm outside glabrous to villosulous, tube 10-14 mm Mycetia hirta Hutch. (Rubiaceae), a new record for the flora of Vietnam Vu Tien Chinh1*, Nguyen Quoc Binh1, Tran Van Hai3 1Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology 2Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology 3Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Received 20 April 2020; accepted 28 July 2020 *Corresponding author: Email: vtchinh@vnmn.vast.vn Abstract: A newly recorded species, Mycetia hirta Hutch. (Rubiaceae) was reported from Muong Phang district, Dien Bien province in northern Vietnam. It is distinguished from the closely related species, M. longifolia, by its hairy stem and leaf blades, much shorter corolla tube and hirtellous calyx and corolla. Morphological description and color photographs of M. hirta Hutch. are provided. Keywords: Mycetia, Mycetia hirta, new record, Rubiaceae, Vietnam. Classification number: 3.4 Doi: 10.31276/VJSTE.62(3).68-69 Life ScienceS | Biology Vietnam Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering 69September 2020 • Volume 62 Number 3 Results and discussion M. hirta Hutch. is here described as a new record in Vietnam. Mycetia hirta Hutch. in Sargent, Pl. Wilson. 3: 410. 1916. Type: China, Yunnan, Simao, A. Henry 12299 (holotype, K photo!, isotype, US photo!). Shrubs, 1-1.5 m tall; stem hairy. Petiole 0.8-3.5 cm, densely villosulous to hirtellous; blade drying papery, oblong-elliptic to elliptic, 8-23×4-8.5 cm, both surfaces moderately to densely hispidulous, base obtuse to acute, apex acute; secondary veins 12-23 pairs; stipules usually persistent with leaves, oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 1-1.5 cm. Inflorescences terminal, several to many flowered, densely villosulous or hirtellous; peduncle 0.7-3.3 cm; branched portion 2-8×2.3-9 cm; bracts ovate, lanceolate, suborbicular, reniform, 2-9 mm, often marginally sparsely to densely stipitate-glandular; pedicels 1.5-4 mm. Flowers pedicellate. Calyx densely hirtellous, hypanthium ca. 2.3 mm; limb deeply lobed; lobes broadly triangular, 2-2.6 mm, marginally densely stipitate-glandular and sometimes appearing lacerate, glands 0.3-0.6 mm. Corolla yellow, tubular, outside sparsely to densely villosulous or hirtellous; tube 5-6.2 mm, sparsely villous inside; lobes triangular, 1-1.8 mm. Distribution: northern Vietnam (Dien Bien), China (Hainan, Yunnan). Ecology and habitat: the species grows in shade of secondary forests at 400-600 m alt. Specimen examined: northern Vietnam, Dien Bien province, Muong Phang District, 5 June 2005, Nguyen Quoc Binh VN 1542 [HN]; 10 July 2006, Nguyen Quoc Binh QB 521 [VNMN] (Figs. 1 and 2). Fig. 2. M. hirta Hutch. (A) Habit, (B) Inflorescence, (C) Flower, (D) Fruit (photographed by Nguyen Quoc binh from Dien bien province). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article. REFERENCES [1] T. Chen, et al. (2011), Flora of China, Science Press & St. Louis, Missouri Botanical Garden Press. [2] M. Newman, et al. (2007), A Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Lao PDR, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. [3] Pham Hoang Ho (2000), An Illustrated Flora of Vietnam, Tre Publishing House. [4] Nguyen Tien Ban, Tran Ngoc Ninh (2005), Checklist of Plant Species of Vietnam, Agriculture Publishing House. Fig. 1. Map showing the location of M. hirta Hutch. in Vietnam (indicated by the red star).