Hymenandra (A. DC.) A. DC. ex Spach, was established in 1841^[1] based on Ardisia hymenandra Wall., which was replaced by a new name——Hymenandra wallichii A. DC. The genus is characterized mainly by a staminal tube which is formed by filaments at least basally united and anthers laterally connate by the thecal margins; its affinity appears to be with the genus Ardisia. As a monotypic genus endemic to a small area of East Himalaya, it was accepted and followed by subsequent authors. It was not until 1958 that other species were attributed to this genus, when Furtado^[2] transferred Ardisia iteophylla Ridl to it and Nayar and Giri in 1976^[3] described another species from Myanmar. After Mez's monographic work in 1902^[4], B. C. Stone^[5] revised the genus. He recognized 8 species including 5 new species and 1 new combination. As 6 out of the 8 species were described from Borneo and Malaya, Stone termed it as an Indo-Malesian genus.

In 1999 Pipoly and Ricketson^[6], in a taxonomic revision of the Neotropical group of taxa formerly placed by Lundell in the genera Auriculardisia, Chontalesia and Icacorea, proposed to transfer 9 Mesoamerican species to Hymenandra, thus bring the total number of species in the genus to 17 and with an amphipacific geographical distribution.

Hymenandra wallichi is a rare species, formerly known only in Assam, Bangladesh, and northwestern Myanmar. In July 2016, the first author examined specimens of Ardisia in KUN and found that 2 specimens (Tao Guoda 013156 and Tao Guoda 013445, collected from Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province) were identified incorrectly. Tao Guoda 013156 was identified as Ardisia dasyrhizomatica C. Y. Wu et C. Chen. However, the leaf margin of A. dasyrhizomatica is pectinate-dentate, with apiculate teeth, which is clearly different from the specimen; while Tao Guoda 013445 was identified as Ardisia crassipes C. Y. Wu & C. Chen, but the inflorescences are quite different. Careful examination turned out that these two specimens actually represent a species of the genus Hymenandra (H. wallichii), with anthers united laterally by the thecal margins. Furthermore, Wang Jun 2007212 (IBSC), collected from a cultivated plant in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and determined as A. dasyrhizomatica, should be H. wallichii too.

聚药罗伞(新拟)    Fig. 1

(Fig. 1)

Fig. 1 Hymenandra wallichii. A: Plant; B: Flower showing united anthers; C. Inflorescence. (Photoed by Ge-han Huang from the cultivated plant in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden)

Hymenandra wallichii A. DC., Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 2, 16: 79. 1841; in DC Prod. 8: 91. 1844; Clarke, in Hook, f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 3: 532.1882; Mez, Myrsinaceae, in Engler, Pflanzenr. Heft 9 (Ⅳ. 236): 155, fig. 24. 1902; Kanjilal & Das, Flora of Assam 3: 186. 1939; Nayar & Giri, Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 72: 819. "1975" (1976); Stone, Gard. Bull. Sing. 43: 4-6. 1991.

Ardisia hymenandra Wall, in Roxb. Fl. Ind. ed. Carey 2: 282. 1824.

Type: Wallich Cat. 2226. Sylhet, mountains of Juntiyapoor, Bangladesh (holotype, K!; CAL, iso-type).

Shrubs evergreen. Leaves clustered towards apex of stems; petiole 5-12 mm long, more or less canaliculate; leaf blade obovate or oblanceolate, 15-40 cm×6-15 cm, apex obtuse or acute, gradually narrowed from middle to the base, papery, glabrous, dotted with black glands on both surfaces, margins obscurely crenulate, with a margin gland in each crenation notch; lateral veins 12-18 on each side of midrib. Inflorescence axillary or terminal on short lateral fertile branch, compact, overall about 10 cm long, sometimes with pseudo-whorled leaf-like bracts, 5-8 cm×1-2 cm, decurved. Flowers pink or purple; calyx about 2 mm long, cut to 2/3 of its length, lobes ovate, punctate, finely ciliate on the margin; corolla-tube about 1 cm long, lobes lanceolate, black glandular striate outside, distinctly papillose inside; staminal tube elongate, the filaments very short, anthers much elongated, 7.5 mm long, slenderly acuminate, laterally connate except the apex, the connectives dorsally set with oblong glands. Ovary tomentellous, 1 mm high, the style slender, 6.75 mm long; stigma small, punctiform-truncate; placenta about 0.5 mm high, with about 10 to 12 ovules in two rows. Fruit globose, 6-8 mm in diam., punctate. Fl. Jun.-Jul., fr. Oct.-Nov.

Distribution and Habitat: Hymenandra wallichii is distributed in Assam, Bangladesh and Myanmar^[2]. It is newly recorded from China, in Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, on the border land near Myanmar; it grows in evergreen broad-leaved forest, on dark damp places along streams.

Specimen examined: China. Yunnan Province, Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Ying-jiang County, Tao Guoda 013156 (KUN); China. Yunnan Province, Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Longchuan County, Tao Guoda 013445 (KUN); Cultivated in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Wang Jun 2007212 (IBSC).