全 文 ：植 物 分 类 学 报 45 (6): 849–854(2007) doi:10.1360/aps06204
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica http://www.plantsystematics.com
———————————
Received: 9 December 2006 Accepted: 25 April 2007
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant Nos. 30370109, 39899400, 30499340, 30670142; the
Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant Nos. KSCX2-YW-Z-021, KSCX-SW-122; and the
Director Foundation of South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant No. 2002-1112.
* Author for correspondence. E-mail: .
Two newly recorded species of Strobilanthes
(Acanthaceae) from China
1,2,4DENG Yun-Fei* 3WANG Hong 3ZHOU Shi-Shun
1(South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China)
2(Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China)
3 (Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, Yunnan, China)
4 (Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)
Abstract Two newly recorded species of Acanthaceae from China, Strobilanthes
quadrifaria (Nees) Y. F. Deng and S. serrata J. B. Imlay, are described and illustrated.
Lectotype of S. quadrifaria is designated.
Key words Acanthaceae, Strobilanthes, new record, new combination, China.
Strobilanthes Bl. is the second largest genus of the family Acanthaceae distributed in
tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. Estimates of the number of species in Strobilanthes
range from 250 species (Hu, 2002; Carine & Scotland, 2002) to 350 (Mabberley, 1987) or 450
or more (Terao, 1983). Bremekamp (1944) divided Strobilanthes and its related genera into
over 54 genera arranged in 27 informal groups in his monograph of the subtribe
Strobilanthinae. Terao (1983) recognized a broadly circumscribed Strobilanthes comprising
all species of Strobilanthinae. The results of recent molecular studies (Moylan et al., 2004),
statistical analysis (Carine & Scotland, 2002), and pollen and gross morphology investigation
(Terao, 1983; Wood, 1994, 1995) demonstrate clearly that it is problematic to adequately
diagnose the majority of groups erected by Bremekamp (1944) and others (Hu, 2002; Tsui,
1990; Hsieh & Huang, 1974) when they divided the Strobilanthinae and that a single
monophyletic expanded Strobilanthes should be recognized (Deng et al., 2006; Moylan et al.,
2004; Carine & Scotland, 2002).
In the course of examination of the specimens of Acanthaceae in Herbarium of
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (HITBC), two
species of Strobilanthes are found as new record from China and here reported.
1. Strobilanthes quadrifaria (Wall. ex Nees) Y. F. Deng, comb. nov.——Ruellia quadrifaria
Wall. [Cat. 7152. nom. nud.] ex Nees in Wall., Pl. As. Rar. 3: 83. 1832; Nees in DC., Prodr.
147. 1847.——Hemigraphis quadrifaria (Wall. ex Nees) T. Anders. in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot.
9: 463. 1867.——Sericocalyx quadrifarius (Wall. ex Nees) Bremek. in Verh. Kon. Ned.
Akad. Wetensch., Afd. Natuurk., Tweede Sect. 41: 163. 1944. Type: Myanmar. Mt. Taong
Dong, Wallich 7152 (lectotype, K-W!, here designated; isolectotype, K!).
四列马蓝 新拟 Fig. 1
Undershrub (0.2–)1–1.5 m high, stems pilose with large-celled hairs. Leaves equal in
each pair, petiolate; petioles (0.3–)1.5–4 cm long, pilose; blades 5–11×2–6 cm, elliptic to
ovate, acute, base attenuate and ± decurrent onto the petiole, margin crenulate-dentate, rather
densely pilose with large white hairs on both surfaces and especially on the veins.
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica Vol. 45 850
Inflorescence of shortly pedunculate axillary and terminal spikes densely covered with long,
silky, white large-celled hairs, spikes 2–5 cm long, ca. 1 cm wide, very compact; peduncles
0.5–1 cm long. Bracts lanceolate, ca. 2×0.6 cm, pilose with white large-celled hairs;
bracteoles ovate, ca. 5×2 mm, pilose with white large-celled hairs especially towards the
apex. Calyx 8–10 mm long, silky, with white large-celled hairs, 5-lobed to 1 mm of the base,
lobes linear, acuminate, ciliate. Corolla in bud puberulent, in flower purple, 2–2.8 cm long,
straight, the tube 2 mm wide at the base, then gradually widened to 6–8 mm, outside glabrous
except for the lobes, inside glabrous except for hairs retaining the style, lobes ovate, rounded,
4×4 mm; stamens 4, didynamous, filaments pilose, the longer pair ca. 8 mm long, the shorter
pair ca. 4 mm long; anthers included, the thecae oblong, glabrous, 3×1 mm. Style ca. 2 cm
long, glabrous except for pilose at the base, ovary glabrous. Capsule not seen.
China. Yunnan (云南): Gengma (耿马), near Nanping (南平), alt. 550 m, 1959-11-20,
Yunda Diaochadui (云大调查队 ) A0005 (YUKU); Jinghong (景洪 ), Naban (那班 ),
Anmalaozhai (安马老寨), near Bianfudong (蝙蝠洞), alt. 640 m, 1988-11-01, G. D. Tao et al.
(陶国达等) 44675 (HITBC); Menghai (勐海), Daluo (打洛), 1978-10-23, G. D. Tao et al. (陶
国达等) 19796 (HITBC).
Laos. Oudomxay: Muang Buang, alt. 900 m, 1996-12-12, H. Wang & B. G. Li 2882,
2887, 2875 (HITBC).
Habitat: In shaded and moist place in forest. Alt. 550–900 m.
Distribution: China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. New to China and Laos.
Strobilanthes quadrifaria (Wall. ex Nees) Y. F. Deng was originally described as Ruellia
quadrifaria Wall. ex Nees (1832), which was transferred to Hemigraphis and Sericocalyx by
Anderson (1867) and Bremekamp (1944) respectively. The latter two genera are separated
from Strobilanthes based on the characters of yellow corolla and 4–8-seeded capsule
(Bremekamp, 1944; Hu, 2002). In fact, yellow corolla is an insufficient character to delimit
the genera in Acanthaceae. Another example is S. adpressa J. R. I. Wood, which has yellow
or bluish corolla (Chen et al., 2006; Wood, 2003).
2. Strobilanthes serrata J. B. Imlay in Bull. Misc. Inform., Kew 1939: 117. 1939,
“serratus”; J. R. I. Wood et al. in Kew. Bull. 58: 169. 2003. Type: Thailand. Payap: Doi
Chiengdao, Kerr 6587 (holotype, K!; isotype, BM!). Fig. 2.
Gutzlaffia glandulosa Lace in Bull. Misc. Inform., Kew 1915: 406. 1915, non
Strobilanthes glandulosa Bl., 1826. Type: Myanmar. Ruby Mines, Lace 6019 (holotype, K!;
isotype, E).
齿叶马蓝 新拟
Anisophyllous perennial herbs. Stems sulcate, pubescent along the sulcule. Leaves
unequal in each pair, petiolate; petioles 2–9 cm long, sparsely expressed pubescent; blades
5–12×4–6 cm, apex acuminate, base gradually narrowed and then ± decurrent up to 2 cm
onto the petiole, margin coarsely serrate, upper surface glabrous, green variegated with white
patches, lower surface glabrous except for pubescent veins, uniformly violet; lateral veins 7–9
pairs, flat above and elevated beneath. Inflorescence of simple or branched pedunculate spikes
from the uppermost leaf axils commonly forming a terminal panicle of spikes; peduncles of
the panicle 2–10 cm long, subglabrous to pubescent; inflorescence branches densely
glandular-pilose; spikes 2–7 cm long, densely glandular-pilose, imbricate; flowers in opposite
pairs, clearly separate along the spikes except the very top, 1–2 cm apart below. Floral bracts
3–4×1.5–1.8 mm, oblong-ovate to oblong-obovate, obtuse, densely glandular-pilose, persistent.


No. 6 DENG et al.: Two newly recorded species of Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) from China 851



























































Fig. 1. Strobilanthes quadrifaria (Wall. ex Nees) Y. F. Deng. A, inflorescence branch; B, leaves; C, bract; D,
bracteoles; E, calyx; F, opened corolla showing stamens; G, ovary and style; H, ovary; I, stigma. Drawn by Y. X. Liu from
G. D. Tao et al. 44675.

Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica Vol. 45 852





























































Fig. 2. Strobilanthes serrata J. B. Imlay. A, plant; B, inflorescence; C, opened corolla showing stamens and styles; D,
bracts, bracteoles and calyx; E, calyx; F, bracts; G, bracteoles; H, capsule; I, seeds. Drawn by X. L. Wu from H. Wang
7466.
No. 6 DENG et al.: Two newly recorded species of Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) from China 853
Bracteoles 3–4×1–1.5 mm, oblong to obovate, obtuse, densely glandular-pilose outside,
glabrous and densely covered with white clavate cystoliths inside. Calyx 3–5 mm long,
subequally 5-lobed to the base, lobes oblong, densely glandular-villose outside, glabrous and
densely covered with white clavate cystoliths inside. Corolla 2–2.6 cm long, dirty white,
widen from ca. 1 mm at the base to 8 mm at mouth, ventricose from a short basal cylindrical
tube for 6–8 mm long, outside sparsely to densely pilose with the large-celled hairs, inside
glabrous except for the hairs retaining the style, lobes ca. 3×3 mm, blue, ovate, obtuse.
Fertile stamens 2; filaments ca. 4 mm long, glabrous, erect; anthers included, ca. 1.5 mm long,
muticous, glabrous. Style ca. 2 cm long, glabrous. Ovary villose. Capsule 5–7 mm long, ca. 2
mm wide, oblong-ellipsoid, silky-pubescent, 4-seeded. Seeds 2 mm long, 2 mm wide,
lenticular, pubescent with appressed, mucilaginous hairs.
China. Yunnan (云南): Honghe (红河), Amushan (阿母山), alt. 1600 m, Y. M. Shui (税
玉民) 4422 (KUN); Mengla (勐腊), Guangnali (广那里), alt. 690 m, in Parashorea chinensis
forest, 2005-01-10, H. Wang (王红) 7466 (HITBC).
Myanmar. Ruby Mines Distr.: Bernardmyo-Mogok, alt. 1950 m, 1912-10-27, Lace
6019 (E, K).
Thailand. Chiang Mai: Doi Chiang Dao, alt. 1900 m, 1922-11-06, Kerr 6584 (K).
Distribution: Thailand and Myanmar. New record to China.
Habitat: In China, it is found in partly shaded, moist places in evergreen forests; alt.
700–1600 m.
Strobilanthes serrata is similar to S. himalayana J. R. I. Wood, S. tubiflos (C. B. Clarke)
J. R. I. Wood and S. kachinensis J. R. I. Wood & J. R. Benn. These four species form a
closely related group, which is characterized by the flowers arranging in spikes and forming a
terminal panicle, inflorescence densely glandular-pilose, and corolla abruptly ventricose from
a short cylindrical base. The identification key to these four species is provided below.
Key to Strobilanthes serrata and its allies
1. Fertile stamens 4 .……………………………………………………………………………S. himalayana
1. Fertile stamens 2.
2. Flower pairs distant along the whole spike except very top and 1–2 cm apart below…………S. serrata
2. Flower pairs imbricate along the whole spike.
3. Bracts obovate, emarginate…………………………………………………………………S. tubiflos
3. Bracts oblong to obovate, acute…………………………………………………………S. kachinensis
Acknowledgements We are grateful to Ms. LIU Yun-Xiao (IBSC) and Mr. WU Xi-Lin
(KUN) for preparing the line drawings. The first author (Deng) is grateful to John WOOD
(FHO), Robert SCOTLAND (FHO), Mark CARINE (BM), and Kaj VOLLESEN (K) for their
helps during his visit to the British herbaria.
References
Anderson T. 1867. An enumeration of the Indian species of Acanthaceae. Journal of the Linnean Society,
Botany 9: 425–526.
Bremekamp C E B. 1944. Materials for a monograph of the Strobilanthinae. Verhandelingen der
Nederlandsche Akademie van Wettenschappen Afdeeling Natuurkunde, Tweede Sectie 41 (1): 1–305.
Carine M A, Scotland R W. 2002. Classification of Strobilanthinae (Acanthaceae): trying to classify the
unclassifiable. Taxon 51: 259–279.
Chen W-H (陈文红), Deng Y-F (邓云飞), Shui Y-M (税玉民). 2006. Strobilanthes adpressa J. R. I. Wood, a
newly recorded species of Acanthaceae from China. Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany (热带亚
热带植物学报) 14: 345–346.
Deng Y F, Wood J R I, Scotland R W. 2006. New and reassessed species of Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) in the
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica Vol. 45 854
Flora of China. Botanical Journal of Linnaean Society 150: 369–390.
Hsieh C F, Huang T C. 1974. The Acanthaceous plants of Taiwan. Taiwania 19: 19–57.
Hu C-C (胡嘉琪). 2002. Acanthaceae. In: Florae Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae (中国植物志). Beijing:
Science Press. 70: 1–309.
Mabberley D J. 1987. The Plant Book. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Moylan E C, Bennett J R, Carine M A, Olmstead R G, Scotland R W. 2004. Phylogenetic relationships among
Strobilanthes s.l. (Acanthaceae): evidence from ITS nrDNA, trnL-F cpDNA, and morphology. American
Journal of Botany 91: 724–735.
Nees von Esenbeck C G. 1832. Acanthaceae. In: Wallich N ed. Plantae Asiaticae Rariores. London. 3: 70–117.
Terao H. 1983. Taxonomic study of the genus Strobilanthes Bl. (Acanthaceae). Generic Delimitation and
Infragenetic Classification. Ph.D. Dissertation. Kyoto: Kyoto University.
Tsui H-P (Cui H-B) (崔鸿宾). 1990. Materiae ad Floram Acanthaceae Sinicarum (1). Acta Botanica Yunnanica
(云南植物研究) 12: 269–278.
Wood J R I. 1994. Notes relating to the flora of Bhutan: XXIX. Acanthaceae, with special reference to
Strobilanthes. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 51: 175–274.
Wood J R I. 1995. Notes on Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) for the flora of Ceylon. Kew Bulletin 50: 1–24.
Wood J R I. 2003. The 2-lipped species of Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae). Kew Bulletin 58: 83–129.
中国爵床科马蓝属二新记录种
1, 2, 4邓云飞* 3王 洪 3周仕顺
1(中国科学院华南植物园 广州 510650)
2(中国科学院昆明植物研究所 昆明 650204)
3(中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园 云南勐腊 666303)
4(中国科学院研究生院 北京 100049)

摘要 报道中国爵床科Acanthaceae马蓝属Strobilanthes Bl.两个新记录种——四列马蓝Strobilanthes
quadrifaria (Wall. ex Nees) Y. F. Deng和齿叶马蓝S. serrata Imlay, 并绘制了形态图。指定了四列马蓝的
后选模式。
关键词 爵床科; 马蓝属; 新记录; 新组合; 中国