Taxonomy notes on Vandeae (Orchidaceae) from China: Five new species and two new records

Abstract

Five new species (<i>Gastrochilus yei</i>, <i>Gastrochilus minimus</i>, <i>Luisia simaoensis</i>, <i>Taeniophyllum xizangense</i>, <i>Tuberolabium subulatum</i>) and two newly recorded species (<i>Cleisostoma tricornutum</i>, <i>Luisia inconspicua</i>) of Vandeae (Orchidaceae) from China are described and illustrated. <i>Gastrochilus yei</i> is similar to <i>G. affinis</i> and <i>G. nepalensis</i>, but differs from them by having an epichile not lobed, the apex of the hypochile not bilobed, and a tine on the apex of the leaf. <i>Gastrochilus minimus</i> is similar to <i>G. acinacifolius</i>, but can be distinguished from the latter by having a flabellate epichile that is densely hirsute on the adaxial surface and an inconspicuous central cushion; in addition, the hypochile of <i>G. minimus</i> has a keel that extends to the apex of the epichile. <i>Taeniophyllum xizangense</i> is similar to <i>T. stella</i> and <i>T. radiatum</i>, but it is distinguished from them by having much bigger flowers, inflorescences densely covered with short-bristly hairs, papillae on the external surface of sepals, and bigger triangular-ovate viscidium. <i>Luisia simaoensis</i> is similar to <i>L. magniflora</i> and <i>L. ramosii</i>, but can be easily distinguished from them by having lateral sepals longer than dorsal sepals and petals, lip with irregular and waved margins, and lip with bilobed apex. <i>Luisia inconspicua</i> is moved from <i>Gastrochilus</i> to <i>Luisia</i> based on phylogenetic analyses of plastid matK sequence data. <i>Tuberolabium subulatum</i> is similar to <i>T. carnosum</i>, but it can be easily distinguished from the latter by having an inflorescence much shorter than the leaves, yellow sepals and petals, and many small papillae outside the lip lobes.