Bioacoustics of Glochidion liangkwangense

discussion · Plazi

Morphological relationships :—Morphologically, the new species is characterized by its sepals that are caudate at apex and have elevated midrib abaxially ( Figure 1F ), spatulate to slightly T-shaped glands in flowers ( Figure 1E, G, I ), as well as extended connectives of anthers. All these characters indicate that it is a member of the traditionally circumscribed Phyllanthodendron . Furthermore, the lack of a pedicelled clustered fascicle indicates that the new species belongs to the subgenus Phyllanthodendron in the newly circumscribed Glochidion , as defined by Bouman et al. (2022) . In Bouman et al. (2022) , five species were accepted in the subgenus Phyllanthodendron , and the sixth species of the subgenus, viz. G. yangchunense Z.Q. Song & Gang Yao (2024: 230), was described recently from Yangchun Hsien, Guangdong Province , China . The new species most resembles G. anthopotamicum in morphology, and specimens of the new species are deposited mainly under the latter name in most herbariums in China . However, results from the present study show that the two species could be easily distinguished by characters of flowers and capsules. The new species has erect sepals that are usually extend outward ( Figure 1E‒J ), glabrous or subglabrous along midrib of sepals ( Figure 1H, J ), 2 series of sepals of female flowers different in shape and size ( Figure 1E, I ), spatulate to slightly Tshaped disc segments in flowers ( Figure 1G, I ), styles usually swollen at apex, capsules that are triangular-globose in shape ( Figure 1K, L ). In contrast, G. anthopotamicum has sepals that are spreading or even reflexed at the upper part but jointly formed an urceolate shape at the lower part ( Figure 2C‒G ), midrib of sepals that are densely pubescent ( Figure 2E, F ), 2 series of sepals of female flowers subequivalent in both of shape and size ( Figure 2G ), linear disc segments in flowers ( Figure 2D, G ), styles not swollen at apex ( Figure 2G ), and capsules that are globose in shape ( Li 1994 ). Additionally, the new species is also similar to G. yangchunense morphologically in having sepals of flowers that are extend outward and T-shaped disc segments in flowers (Song and Yao 2024). However, the new species differs from the latter by its smaller leaves at the upper part of branchlets and larger leaves at the lower part of branchlets ( Figure 1C ) (vs. larger leaves at the upper part of branchlets and smaller leaves at the lower part of branchlets), sepals caudate or narrowly acuminate at apex ( Figure 1E‒J ) (vs. sepals acute to shortly acuminate at apex), lateral veins in sepals are absent ( Figure 1E, G, I ) (vs. present), smaller capsules ( 5–7 mm in diameter) that are triangular-globose in polar view ( Figure 1K, L ) (vs. 8–10 mm in diameter and subglobose in polar view). Additionally, the new species also much differs from other members accepted currently within the subgenus Phyllanthodendron . Due to the lack of specialized literature for the identification of Glochidion subg. Phyllanthodendron species occurring in Asia, and considering the great similarity between them, it provides a key to identify them.

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