Bergera glabra (Guillemin) F.J.Mou, comb. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77314670-1

Fig. 6

Micromelum glabrum Guillemin, Notulae systematicae (Paris) 1: 216 (Guillemin 1910). – Chalcas glabra (Guillemin) Tanaka, Bulletin de la Société botanique de France 75 (4): 711 (Tanaka 1928). – Murraya glabra (Guillemin) Swingle, Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 28 (12): 532 (Swingle 1938). – Type: VIETNAM • Tonkin, Kien-khé; H. Bon 2977; lectotype: P[MNHN-P-P05186001] image!; isolectotype: P[MNHN-P-P05186003, MNHN-P-P05186004] image!. Designated by Tanaka (1928).

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the glabrous leaves.

Material examined

VIETNAM • 14 Jun. 1920; M. E. Poilane 1590; P image! • 31 May 1924; M. E. Poilane 10685, 10689; P image! • 2 Jul. 1924; M. E. Poilane 11099; P image! • Đà N ẵng, Liên Chiêu près Tourane; 17 Aug. 1923; M. E. Poilane 7596, 7602; P images! • Qu ảng Tr ị, Col d’Ailao pro; 2 Aug. 1933; M. E. Poilane 22820; P image!.

Description

Shrub or small tree, 2–7 m high. Branches, rachis, petiole and petals are especially fragrant, dispersed with very prominent oil glands, becoming black dots when drying. Compound leaves are 12–46 cm long; rachis (petiole) rather thin, ca 28 cm long; leaflets 3–11, alternate, thick chartaceous, glabrous, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, 5–17 × 2–9 cm, inequilateral, pointed at the base, abruptly acuminate at the tip, undulate and very slightly denticulate, with oil glands; lateral veins, 6–9 pairs, prominent on lower surface; petiolules cylindric, glabrous, 3–4 mm long; petiole cylindric, glabrous. Cymes are terminal or axillary a near the top, shorter than the leaves, corymbiferous, large, with many small white flowers, and covered with very short pubescence; pedicels longer than flowers, with 2 small bracts at the base or lower third. Flower buds are long, 6.0 × 2.5 cm, 4-angled, white, fragrant; calyxes 4-connate, indistinct; sepals very shortly, ciliate with a big oil gland; petals 4, 4–6 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, glabrous, and lanceolate. Stamens are alternate with long and short, 8, and 4 mm long; filaments dilated and pubescent upper part; anthers attached by the back, oval, with a few hairs, becoming black then; disk extremely short. Ovaries are cylindric, warty, glabrous, distinctly constricted at ca ⅓ from the apex; styles longer than ovary, elongated, with prominent dots; stigmas globose, yellow, scabrous, and ca 3 mm long. Berries are subglobose, diameter 7–9 mm, rough, with glands, red when ripe, and containing 1–2 seeds. This species is described based merely on Swingle & Reece (1967) and some images of specimens and plants in Vietnam.

Phenology

Flowering between April and June, while fruiting from July to October.

Distribution and habitat

Vietnam: Tonkin, Annam; Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Vinh Phuc, Quang Tri, Hai Phong (Cat Ba, the National Park Cat Ba); Nature Reserve Hang Kia-Pa Co (Peace); Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang. It is common among limestone rocks, often grows wild in clumps and drought-resistant.

Remarks

The leaves and leaflets of this species are the longest and widest in the genus Bergera. All parts of the plant, especially the leaves and fruits, are strongly aromatic and dispersed with very prominent oil glands becoming black dots when drying.