Volume 9 > Part 2 > Year 2008 > Page 129 > Marantaceae > Phrynium

1. Phrynium hainanense T.L.Wu & S.J. Chenwfo-0000491284

Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 16(2): 176, Chinese description p. 162. 1981; W.Delin & H.Kennedy in C.Y.Wu & P.H.Raven, Fl. China 24: 380. 2000. Fig. 3: A–D; Plate XIII: 1.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Rhizomotous ground herb, 2–2.5 m high. Leaves 4–6 per shoot; sheath 50–75 cm long, green, with long setose hairs at the margin; petiole 15–64 cm long, green, glabrous or pubescent on the lower part; pulvinus 3.0–3.5 cm long; lamina narrowly oblong, 28–55 by 7.5–11.5 cm, acuminate with a 2–3 cm long projection at the apex. Inflorescence interfoliar, erect, appearing to protrude from the sheath of an accompanying leaf; peduncle 45–60 cm long, green, pubescent; synflorescence congested, 7–8 cm in diam., first order branches 2–5, up to 4 cm long, spirally arranged; fertile bracts 16 per branch, spirally arranged, elliptic to ovate, 1.7–5.5 by 0.9–2.0 cm, greenish-white, glabrous, soon becoming dry and withering into a mesh of many long fine fibres; flower-pairs 2–3 per special paraclade, associated prophylls 13–17 by 7.5–10 mm, interphylls ca 9.5 by 3.2 mm. Flowers white, 1.8–2.1 cm long; sepal 3, free, linear, ca 12 by 2 mm, glabrous, translucent; petal lobes oblong, ca 11.2 by 2.6 mm, rounded at apex, white; corolla tube very short, infundibuliform ca 2 mm long; staminodal tube 3–4 mm longer than corolla tube; outer staminodes 2, smaller than the petal lobes, with petaloid lobe obovate, 5–6 by 2.4 mm, white; cucullate staminode oblong, with free part of ca 5.3 by 2.0 mm, white, and appendage ca 2 mm long; callose staminode obovate, with free part of ca 7.5 by 5.0 mm, white; fertile stamen ca 2 mm long, with a petaloid appendage of 1.2 mm; style with free part of ca 6.8 mm, curved; ovary 3 mm long, densely hairy. Fruits obpyramidal, ca 1.2 by 1.2 cm, white, covered with sparsely short hairs. Seeds 3, triangular, ca 6.2 by 4.8 mm, aril very small, indistinct.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Tak.

Distribution : SE China (Hainan – type), N Vietnam (Tonkin).

Ecology : In swampy exposed or light shaded areas next to stream in primary forests or disturbed forests, 800–900 m alt., rare.

Notes: This species resembles Phrynium pedunculiferum D.Fang in having a funnel-shape corolla tube, but is easily distinguished from that species by its pure white flower and fruit.