Eranthemum L. belongs to the family Acantha- ceae and comprises approximately 30 species distri- buted in tropical and subtropical Asia^[1–2]. Three species and one variety were previously recorded in China^[2–4], i.e., E. pulchellum Andrew., E. tetragonum A. Dietr. ex Nees, E. austrosinense H. S. Lo, and E. austrosinense var. pubipetalum (S. Z. Huang ex H. P. Tsui) T. L. Li & Y. F. Deng. Eranthemum pulchellum Andrew is native to SW Himalayan region and now is widely cultivated in S China as ornamental. Eranthe- mum splendens (T. Anderson) Hort. ex Siebert et Voss, a species restrict to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, was previously erroneously reported from S Yunnan in Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinica^[3] and Flora Yunnanica^[5], and it was excluded in Flora of China^[2].

In the course of the investigation in Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve, we collected a plant of Eranthemum which is quite different from other Chinese species by having the shrubby habit and larger leaves and trifurcate branched inflorescences. Further studies reveal that it represents a species new to China reported below.

Eranthemum macrophyllum Wall. ex Nees, Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 106. 1832. Type: Myanmar, "Ripae Irawaddi ad rupes Pingee et Mt Prome", 26 Nov. 1826, Wall. Cat. 7179a [lectotype here designated: K-W (K001126830)].大叶可爱花  Figure 1.

Shrubs to 2 m high. Roots with elongate tuberlike swellings. Stems quadrangular, white pubescent, coarse; nodes swollen. Leaves petiolate; petioles 0.6–6 cm, glabrescent; blades (4–)10–30 cm×(2–)5–11 cm, obovate to ovate-elliptic, pilose on both surfaces, above with prominent cystoliths, below paler with prominent veins, apex acuminate, margin entire, undulate, base cuneate, decurrent onto petiole; lateral veins 9–15 either side of midrib. Inflorescence of a terminal or axillary spike, 10–25 cm long; peduncles 4–11 cm long; rachis pilose. Bracts imbricate, obovate to elliptic, 1.5–2.1 cm×0.7–1.0 cm, penninerved, apex acute, glandular-pubescent on both surfaces, abaxially white coloured except green for the veins, with sparsely prominent cystoliths; bracteoles 2.5–4 mm×ca. 1 mm, narrowly lanceolate, apex acuminate, margin ciliate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially glandular-pubescent. Calyx 5–7 mm long, white, 5-lobed to middle, lobes ca. 2.5 mm×1 mm, linear, glandular-pubescent, apex acuminate. Corolla 5–6 cm long, purple or bluish-purple, purple dotted or patched on the lobes, outside pilose; throat ca. 5 mm long; limb 2-lipped, upper lip reflexed, 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, lobes orbicular or obovate, apex retuse or rounded. Fertile stamens 2, inserted on the base of throat; filaments 1.0–1.2 cm long, glabrous; anthers bithecous, thecae oblong, 2.5–4 mm long; staminodes 2, clavate, ca. 0.5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary 3–3.5 mm long, sparsely glandular-pilose, 2 ovules in each locule; styles filiform, 5–6 cm long; stigma oblate, ca. 0.5 mm long. Capsules 1.2–2 cm long, 0.4–0.6 cm broad, with a ca. 5 mm solid stalked base, sparsely glandular-pubescent, 4-seeded. Seeds orbicular, compressed, black, 3 mm in diam., pubescent with mucilagineous hairs.

Distribution: China and Myanmar; new record to China, occurring in Yingjiang Xian, Yunnan Province.

Phenology: Flowering from October to next March; fruiting from March to May.

Habitat: It grows in Monsoon forest at elevation of 500–1 800 m.

Additional specimens examined: CHINA. Yunnan: Yingjiang Xian, Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve, elev. 800 m, 17 Mar. 2019, Shen Jianyong 1163 (HITBC); Yingjiang Xian, on the way from Daonong to Jizhuzhai, 1 450 m, 9 Nov. 1974, Tao Guoda 13301 (HITBC); Yingjiang xian, Nabang to Tongbiguan, 1 800 m, Apr. 28, 1992, Tao Guoda 45521 (HITBC); Yingjiang Xian, Taiping Zhen, Xueli Cun, Tongbiguang Nature Reserve, on the way from Taiping Zhen to Hongbenghe, ca. 510 m, 24 Apr. 2019, Deng Yunfei 27509 (IBSC); Yingjiang Xian, Xima Xiang, Tongbiguan, 800 m, 8 Jan. 2005, Zhou Shishun 3620 (HITBC, QBG); Yingjiang Xian, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Chen Li s.n. (IBSC). MYANMAR. Irawaddi, Wallich Cat. 7129 (G, K). Bago Division: Pyay District, Mt Prome, 1826, Wallich Cat. 7179a (K); Tharrawaddy District, Bacodin Reserve, 22 Mar. 1922, C. B. Smales 22 (E). Kachin State: Bhamo District, Shady jungle 40 miles east of Bhamo, 24º20ʹ N, 600 m, Jan. 1913, G. Forrest 9477 (E, K). Kayin State: Thandaung, "Taong Dong", 26 Nov. 1826, Wallich Cat. 7179b (K-W). Magway Division: Thayetmyo District, E Goma, Mt. Magyigon, 6 Jan. 1905, J. H. Lace 2712 (E). Mandalay Division: Yamethin District, Ngalaik Reserve, near Mosue, 25 Jan. 1909, J. H. Lace 4555 (E); Pyin Oo Lwin District, Maymyo, 1 100 m, 15 Apr. 1913, J. H. Lace 6268 (E). Mon State: Mawlamyine District, Moulmein, J. W. Helfer 6128 (K-W, P).

Notes: Till now, the name Eranthemum macrophyllum has not yet been lectotypified. In the protologue, Nees referenced to "Eranthemum macrophyllum ? Wall. Cat. n. 7179" and cited the provenance as "In jugo Taong Dong, d.26 Nov. a. 1826; et in montibus Promae et rupibus ad Pengee in ripa Irawaddi fluminis". We traced four specimens with the number 7179, i.e., one in K (barcode K000882636) with the locality "Irawaddi", one in K-W (K000882630) with the number "7179a" and the locality "Mt. Prome", one in K-W (K000882631) with the number "7179b" and the locality "Taong Dong", and one in G (G00082060) with the number 7179 but without locality. This means that Wallich Cat. 7179 comprises three gatherings, all of them are syntypes according to Art. 9.6 of Shenzhen Code^[6]. The specimen of Wallich Cat. 7179a (K000882630) at Wallich Herbarium is the better to be preserved, and therefore, it is selected as the lectotype of Eranthemum macrophyllum.

The species Eranthemum macrophyllum is easily distinguished from other Chinese species of Eranthemum by having the larger leaves for (4–)10–30 cm×(2–)5–11 cm, trifurcate branched inflorescence and glandular-pubescent bracts, bracteoles and calyx. An identification key to Chinese species of Eranthemum is provided below.

Key to the Chinese species of Eranthemum

1a. Inflorescence of trifurcate branched spike; bracts broader than 7 mm.

2a. Bracts, bracteoles and calyx glabrous or eglandular-pubescent; cultivated ………………………………………… E. pulchellum

1b. Bracts, bracteoles and calyx glandular-pubescent; native ………………………………………… E. macrophyllum

2b. Inflorescence of simple unbranched spike; bracts less than 6 mm broad.

3a. Petioles shorter than 5 mm, bracts narrowly lanceolate to oblong, apex obtuse …………………………………… E. tetragonum

3b. Petioles 0.7–2.5 cm long, bracts ovate to elliptic, apex acute …………………………………………………… E. austrosinense

4a. Corolla glabrous; ovary pilose ……………………………………………………………… E. austrosinense var. austrosinense

4b. Corolla pubescent; ovary glabrous …………………………………………………………… E. austrosinense var. pubipetalum

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mr. YANG Zhenghua, Mr. ZHANG Yongsheng, XU Guihua from Tongbi- guan Provincial Nature Reserve for their helps during the field works, and LIN Zhenli for preparing the plate. Deng would like to thank the curators of the following herbaria for their helps during his visiting their herbaria: E, HITBC, IBSC, K, P and QBG.