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Circaea alpina imaicola amp

Circaea alpina subsp. imaicola (Ascherson & Magnus) Kitamura

Languages: English

Overview

General Description

Plants 3.5-45 cm tall. Stem densely to sparsely pubescent. Leaves ovate to broadly ovate, less commonly orbicular-ovate, 2-7 cm long, 1.4-4.5 cm wide, base truncate or rounded, less often broadly cuneate to subcordate, margin subentire to occasionally prominently dentate, apex acute to shortly acuminate. Inflorescence simple or branched, pubescent with short glandular hairs, less commonly glabrous; flowering pedicel erect or ascending, glabrous; flowers clustered at apex of raceme and opening before elongation of raceme axis, with a minute setaceous bracteole at base. Buds glabrous, rarely glabrescent; ovary with uncinate hairs at anthesis; floral tube nearly absent to 0.3 mm. Sepals oblong to ovate, apex rounded to obtuse. Petals white or pink, narrowly to broadly obovate in outline, apical notch 1/4-1/2 length of petal; petal lobes rounded. Uncinate hairs of fruit unpigmented.

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Description

Diagnostic Description

Circaea alpina subsp. imaicola is close relative of Circaea alpina subsp. angustifolia, but differs from the latter in its leaves ovate (vs. elliptic to trullate), base rounded to subcordate, rarely broadly cuneate (vs. narrowly to broadly cuneate).

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Genetics

The chromosomal number of Circaea alpina subsp. imaicola is 2n = 22 (Seavey and Boufford, 1983).

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Ecology and Distribution

Cyclicity

Flowering from June to September; fruiting from August to November.

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Distribution

Circaea alpina subsp. imaicola is occurring in Anhui, Gansu, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang of China, NE Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, N Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, NW Vietnam.

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Evolution

Circaea (Onagraceae), a genus of seven species from the northern hemisphere, forms a monophylctic group defined by the following synapomorphies: two stamens (opposite the sepals), fruits indehiscent capsules, hooked hairs on the fruits, and perianth parts reduced to two. A cladistic analysis of the genus was performed using characters from morphology, anatomy and palynology. Results of the cladistic analysis support all six subspecies of Circaea alpina (single-seeded fruits, stolons terminated by tubers, and viscin threads reduced or absent) and C. repens form a monophyletic clade (Boufford et al., 1990).

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Habitat

Growing in cool moist places along streams, thickets, deciduous and coniferous forests in mountains; 2000-4000 m.

Author(s): Wen, Jun
Rights holder(s): Wen, Jun

Taxonomy

  • Circaea alpina var. imaicola Ascherson & Magnus (synonym)
  • Circaea hohuanensis S. S. Ying (synonym)
  • Circaea imaicola (Ascherson & Magnus) Handel-Mazzetti (synonym)
  • Circaea minutula Ohwi (synonym)
  • Circaea pricei Hayata (synonym)
  • Circaea taiwaniana S. S. Ying (synonym)

References

Boufford, D. E., Crisci J. V., Tobe H., & Hoch P. C. (1990).  A cladistic analysis of Circaea (Onagraceae). Cladistics. 6,
Seavey, S. R., & Boufford D. E. (1983).  Observations of chromosomes in Circaea (Onagraceae). American Journal of Botany. 70,