Apostasia fujianica Y. Li & S. Lan 2023, sp. nov

Apostasia fujianica Y.Li & S.Lan, sp. nov. (Fig. 2) (Dz×ffi±) Type:— CHINA. Fujian (Dz×): Zhangzhou (dzffl), Zhaoan (DZae), Wushan Scenic Spot, deep soils on the slope of evergreen broadleaved forests, elev. 752 m, 117°10′43″ E, 23°51′48″ N, 2021.6.20, Ma 2021 (holotype: FAFU!). This new species is similar to A. shenzhenica but can be distinguished by its narrowly ovate leaves, 1.5–2.0 × 1.0– 1.5 cm with a 0.8–1.0 mm long apicule. The inflorescences are 0.8–1.7 cm long with 8–11 flowers. The flowers are not fully open, cleistogamous and have similar sepals and petals, each with a 0.2 mm long apicule. The inner margins of two anthers are connivent to form a Solanum -like anther arrangement with one stigma and cavity and cylindrical fruits. Terrestrial herbs, 3–5 cm tall. Rhizomes bearing many rootlets, tubers scattered along the roots, 3-4 mm in diameter, globular. Stems erect, lignified, not branched, 2-3 mm in diameter, multinodal, with a cylindrical sheath 8–10 mm long, the upper part of the sheath with 3–8 leaves. Leaves ovate, 1.5–2.0 × 1.0– 1.5 cm, apex acute, the base contracted into a 6–8 mm long stalk, stalk base dilated and clasping the stem. Panicle arising from stem apex, arching, 0.8–1.7 cm long, 8–11-flowered; bracts ovate, 2–3 mm long; pedicel and ovary 0.8–1.2 cm long; flowers green-yellow, not fully opening, cleistogamous, 0.4–0.6 cm in diameter; sepals 3, similar to each other, narrowly oblong, 5.0–6.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm, central portion with a keeled protrusion that elongates into a 0.2 mm apicule; petals 3, similar to the sepals; basal part of stamen 3 fused with style to a form a cylindrical column, 2.0– 2.5 mm long; a subquadrate nectary, 0.8× 0.8 mm, the upper portion of column slightly longitudinally sulcate; fertile stamens 2, each with a 0.8 mm free filament; anthers narrowly-elliptic, 3.0–4.0 × 1.5–1.8 mm, the two apices equal, clasping the style and staminode below, each bilocular with powdery pollen; staminode opposite dorsal sepal, fused with and shorter than the style, apex fully separated from upper part of style; style 1.8–2.2 mm long, shorter than anthers, stigma 1, with a cavity. Berry-like fruits are long, cylindrical, green, 0.9–1.0 cm long and 1.8–2.2 mm in diameter. Distribution and habitat:— Terrestrial in loose, rocky soil in broad-leaved forest at an elevation of approximately 600–800 m in Fujian Province, China. Phenology:— Flowering June–July, fruiting June–February. Conservation status:— Only one population has been located, consisting of no more than 50 individuals. This site is not in a protected area, and using the IUCN (2012) guidelines, A. fujianica should be considered critically endangered. Etymology:— Referring to the province where this new species was found.
Published as part of Li, Yuanyuan, Ma, Liang, Liu, Ding-Kun, Zhao, Xue-Wei, Zhang, Diyang, Ke, Shijie, Chen, Gui-Zhen, Zheng, Qinyao, Liu, Zhong-Jian & Lan, Siren, 2023, Apostasia fujianica (Apostasioideae, Orchidaceae), a new Chinese species: evidence from morphological, genome size and molecular analyses, pp. 277-284 in Phytotaxa 583 (3) on pages 281-283, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.583.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/7621490
{"references":["IUCN (2012) IUCN Red List categories and criteria, version 3.1, second edition. Gland and Cambridge, 30 pp."]}