Studies of Plagiochila sect. Subtropicae in Asia

Abstract

A new species from the Philippines, Plagiochila luzonensis Grolle & M. L. So, sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Nine species names belonging to sect. Subtropicae Carl are newly placed in synonymy: P. dichotomoramosa Inoue (= P. fordiana Steph.), P. fissifolia Steph. (= P. furcifolia Mitt.), P. gammiana Steph. (= P. nepalensis Lindenb.), P. grata Steph. (= P. nepalensis Lindenb.), P. hattorii Inoue (= P. parvifolia Lindenb.), P. neorupicola Inoue (= P. cuspidata Steph.), P. phalangea Taylor (= P. parvifolia Lindenb.), P. tjibodensis Schiffn. (= P. javanica (Sw.) Nees & Mont.), and P. yokogurensis Steph. (= P. parvifolia Lindenb.). Plagiochila salacensis Gottsche and P. peradenyensis Schiffn, are shifted from sect. Subtropicae to sect. Contiguae Carl, and P. fordiana Steph. from sect. Cobanae Carl to sect. Subtropicae. The gynoecia of P. kunmingensis Piippo from Yunnan, China, are described for the first time. Lectotypes are designated for P. fissifolia and P. salacensis. A key to the nine species of sect. Subtropicae in East Asia is provided. In 'Studies on Plagiochila in China' (Grolle & So 1998a, b), we briefly described the aim of our work on Plagiochila. While examining types belonging to sect. Subtropicae Carl, we came across some little known species from East and Southeast Asia. The aim of this paper is to present up to date information on this section in Asia, including one new species from the Philippines, a supplement to one species from China, nine species names newly synonymized, and two lectotypifications. Inoue (1984) distinguished the two sections Contiguae and Subtropicae, both created by Carl (1931)