全 文 ：植 物 分 类 学 报 45 (3): 301–303(2007) doi:10.1360/aps050060
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica http://www.plantsystematics.com
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Received: 25 November 2006 Accepted: 30 December 2006
Vanilla shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen, the first new
species of Orchidaceae found in Shenzhen, South China
1LIU Zhong-Jian 2CHEN Sing-Chi 1RU Zheng-Zhong
1(The National Orchid Conservation Center, Shenzhen 518114, China)
2(State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing 100093, China)
Abstract Vanilla shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen, a new species of Orchidaceae, is
described and illustrated. This is the first new species of Orchidaceae found in Shenzhen,
South China. It is akin to Vanilla somai Hayata, from which it differs by having 4-flowered
inflorescences, not fully opening flowers with their unlobed lip joined 3/4 of its length to the
column, and a retrorse tuft of fimbriate appendage in the upper part of the lip.
Key words Vanilla, Vanilla shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen, Orchidaceae, new species,
Shenzhen, China.
Vanilla Plumier ex P. Miller is a pantropical genus of some 70 species. There have been
many specimens collected from southern China since last century, though only two species
were recognized in this country (Chen, 1999). Until recently most of the specimens remained
unidentified due to lacking any flower available. This is the third species of Vanilla known
from China and the first new orchid found in Shenzhen city. It was collected from a thinly
wooded slope along a valley in Longgang of Shenzhen at an altitude between 300 and 400
meters. The plants were found climbing over the rocks or tree trunks in more or less shaded
places. They flowered in February and March, each flower lasting 7–10 days. The new
species is akin to V. somai Hayata, from which it differs by having 4-flowered inflorescences,
not fully opening flowers with their purple-red lip joined 3/4 of its length to the column and a
retrorse tuft of fimbriate appendage in the upper part of the lip. A description of the new
species and a key to three Chinese species are provided as follows:
Vanilla shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen, sp. nov. Fig. 1
Species nova Vanilla somai Hayata affinis, a qua inflorescentiis 4-floris, floribus non
perfecte aperientibus, labello non trilobato purpureo-rubro 3/4 ipsius columna connato,
appendice fimbriata supra medium inserta bene differt.
A climbing plant. Stem usually 1–1.5 m long, branching, distichously many-leaved,
internodes 5–10 cm long. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic, 13–20 cm long, 5.5–9.5 cm wide, deep
green, acute at apex, base short-petioled. Inflorescences arising from the axils of the leaves,
racemose, 3–5 cm long, spreading horizontally, usually 4-flowered; bracts large, coriaceous,
oblong, 1.8–2.1 cm long; pedicel and ovary greenish, 2.3–2.6 cm long; flowers not fully
opening, yellowish-green with purple-red lip and white appendages on it, not fragrant; dorsal
sepal nearly oblong-lanceolate, concave, 4.5–4.7 cm long, 1.6–1.8 cm wide, obtuse-acute and
incurved at apex; lateral sepals elliptic, concave, 4.6–4.8 cm long, 1.8–1.9 mm wide, acute at
apex; petals elliptic, 4.6–4.8 cm long, 2.6–2.8 mm wide, obtuse at apex, with a raised
mid-vein dorsally; lip tubular, very broadly obovate when spreading, 4.4–4.6 cm long, 3–3.2
cm wide, fused basally 3/4 of its length to the column, unlobed, strongly undulale-margined,
above the middle with a retrorse tuft of white fimbriate appendage composed of many thin
pieces, and 3–5 rows of small horn-shaped appendages, and 2 lamellae extending from the
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica Vol. 45 302


Fig. 1. Vanilla shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen. A, flowering plant; B, lip; C, column, front view; D, column and
lip, side view; E, column and lip, longitudinal section; F, dorsal sepal; G, petal; H, lateral sepal; I, fimbriate appendage,
transverse section; J, horn-shaped appendages, longitudinal section; K, pollinia. Drawn by L. J. Chen from Z. J. Liu 3025.
No. 3 LIU et al.: Vanilla shenzhenica, the first new species of Orchidaceae in Shenzhen, South China 303
base up to the fimbriate appendage; column 3.8–4.2 cm long; pollinia 4, powdery. Fl.
Feb.–Mar.
China. Guangdong (广东): Shenzhen (深圳), Longgang (龙岗), Meishajian (梅沙尖),
alt. 300 m, on tree trunk and rock along a valley, 22 Feb. 2005, Z. J. Liu (刘仲健) 3025
(holotype, NOCC) (NOCC=Herbarium, The National Orchid Conservation Center, China).
Distribution: China, Guangdong (广东), Shenzhen (深圳), Longgang (龙岗) (22°37′–
22°39′ N,114°17′–114°22′ E), alt. 300–400 m, on tree trunks or rocks along a shaded valley.
This species can be easily distinguished from V. somai by having 4-flowered
inflorescence, not fully opening flowers with their unlobed lip joined 3/4 of its length to the
column and a retrorse tuft of fimbriate appendage in the upper part of the lip.
It was said that three species of Vanilla, V. planifolia G. Jackson, V. pompona Schiede
and V. tahitensis J. W. Moore, were once introduced into China, but only V. planifolia has
fruited. None of them has been known escaping or being naturalized in China. The new
species differs from V. planifolia by having purple-red lip and not fully opening flowers, from
V. pompona by elliptic petals up to 2.6–2.8 cm broad and from V. tahitensis by not fully
opening flowers and a fimbriate appendage composed of many thin pieces on the upper part
of the lip.
Key to three Chinese species
1. Inflorescences 10–14 cm long, with 10 or more flowers (Yunnan)………..V. siamensis Rolfe ex Downie
1. Inflorescences 3–5 cm long, with 2–4(–5) flowers.
2. Inflorescences usually 2-flowered; flowers white-green with pink or yellow lip (Taiwan)…………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………….V. somai Hayata
2. Inflorescences usually 4-flowered; flowers yellowish-green with purple-red lip (Shenzhen)……………
………………………………………………………………..V. shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen
Acknowledgements We thank Miss L. J. Chen for the preparation of the illustration.
References
Chen S-C (陈心启). 1999. Vanilla Plumier ex P. Miller. In: Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae (中国植物志).
Beijing: Science Press. 18: 2–5.
深圳香荚兰, 首次发现于华南深圳的兰科新种
1刘仲健 2陈心启 1茹正忠
1(全国兰科植物种质资源保护中心 深圳 518114)
2(系统与进化植物学国家重点实验室, 中国科学院植物研究所 北京 100093)

摘要 对兰科新种深圳香荚兰Vanilla shenzhenica Z. J. Liu & S. C. Chen作了描述与绘图。此新种为深圳
发现的第一个兰科新种, 与台湾香荚兰V. somai Hayata有亲缘关系。但是, 本新种花序具4花, 花较大,
不完全开放; 唇瓣不裂, 紫红色, 基部与蕊柱合生长度达3/4, 刷状附属物位于唇盘的上部, 甚易区别于
台湾香荚兰。
关键词 香荚兰属; 深圳香荚兰; 兰科; 新种; 深圳; 中国