<i>Stephania subpeltata</i> H. S. Lo (Menispermaceae): A new record for the Flora of Vietnam

Vu Tien Chinh; Bui Hong Quang; Ritesh Kumar Choudhary; Nian He Xia; Joongku Lee

doi:10.11110/kjpt.2016.46.3.288

Korean J. Pl. Taxon > Volume 46(3); 2016 > Article

/home/virtual/kjpt/journal//../xmls/kjpt-46-3-288.xml Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo: 베트남 미기록종

Original Article

Korean J. Pl. Taxon 2016; 46(3): 288-294.

Published online: September 30, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.11110/kjpt.2016.46.3.288

Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo: 베트남 미기록종

VuTien Chinh, BuiHong Quang¹, Ritesh Kumar Choudhary², Nian He Xia^3,^*, 이중구^4,^*

Vietnam National Museum of Nature

¹Institute of Ecology & Biological Resources

²Agharkar Research Institute

³South China Botanical Garden

⁴충남대학교 농업생명과학대학 산림환경자원학과

Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo (Menispermaceae): A new record for the Flora of Vietnam

Vu Tien Chinh, Bui Hong Quang¹, Ritesh Kumar Choudhary², Nian He Xia^3,^*, Joongku Lee^4,^*

Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam

¹Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam

²Biodiversity & Palaeobiology Group, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune 411004, India

³Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China

⁴Department of Environment & Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea

^*Author for correspondence: joongku@cnu.ac.kr and nhxia@scib.ac.cn

Received August 09, 2016 Revised September 12, 2016 Accepted September 13, 2016

(open-access):

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

적 요

Stephania subpeltata (방기과)의 베트남 분포를 처음으로 보고한다. 본 종은 형태적으로 S. japonica와 유사하지만 엽신이 방패모양에 가까운 난상삼각상 또는 넓은 삼각상이며, 엽병이 조금 더 짧고, 잎맥의 수가 적으며, 작은 화경에 산형모양의 취산화서가 달리지만 드물게는 복취산화서를 가지며, 꽃이 자색이고 내과피 에 돌출된 열의 수가 적어 뚜렷하게 구별된다. 본 종의 분류학적 기재, 상세 분포 및 생태학적 정보와 함께 베트남에 분포하는 함박이속(Stephania) 식물의 종검색표를 제시하였다.

주요어: Stephania, 방기과, 미기록종, 베트남, 약용식물

Abstract

The Vietnamese occurrence of Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo (Menispermaceae) is reported here for the first time. It is morphologically allied to S. japonica but differs in having subpeltate, ovate deltoid or broadly deltoid to subdeltoid leaves, shorter petiole, fewer leaf veins, conspicuously pedicellate umbelliform cymes which are seldom compound, and purple flowers and endocarp with a reduced number of abaxial rows. A taxonomic description, distribution details, ecology, and a key to the Vietnamese species of Stephania are provided.

Keywords: Stephania, Menispermaceae, new record, Vietnam, medicinal plants

The family Menispermaceae has a tropical and subtropical distribution and comprises 71 genera and c. 350 species (Forman, 1991) in the World. All members of the family are unisexual and dioecious. However, some species belonging to genus Tiliacora and Parabaena are known to possess bisexual flowers. The family is closely related to Lardizabalaceae, but can be easily distinguished by its drupaceous fruit and the often curved horseshoe-shaped embryo.

Stephania is one of the biggest genera belonging to Menispermaceae and was firstly described in Flora Cochinchinensis (De Loureiro, 1790) characterized by a peltate synandrium, a unicarpellous ovary, peltate leaves with long petioles, small flowers grouped into umbelliform cymes or condensed into heads, alternate sepals and petals in the pistillate flowers and often two whorls of sepals in the staminate flowers (Luo, 1982; Luo et al., 2008).

Most species of Menispermaceae contain bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, steroids, terpenoids, and coumarins (Semwal et al., 2010). Members of the genus Stephania have long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zheng, 1986; Zhu et al., 2007; Chi et al., 2008). The medicinal value of alkaloids from Stephania species has been studied by various workers (Zhu et al., 1983; Huang and Guo, 1998; Semwal et al., 2010). Even some studies investigated the chemotaxonomy of the genus (Yang and Chen, 1994; Huang et al., 1999). Of late, the molecular phylogenetic study on the Chinese species of the genus has been carried out using ITS and trnL-F markers (Xie et al., 2015). The study emphasized on further phylogenetic investigations including more accessions from different parts of the world. Currently, the genus comprises about 60 species mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia (Diels, 1910; Lo, 1978; Forman, 1988, 1991; Hô, 1991; Hu et al., 2008) or Africa, with some species found in Oceania (Kessler, 1993). Among them, 37 species are recorded in China (Hu et al., 2008), 15 in Thailand (Forman, 1991), and seven species and one variety in Laos (Newman et al. 2007). In Vietnam, the genus consists of 13 species (Bân, 2003). However, S. hernandiifolia (Willd.) Walp. has now been synonymized with S. japonica var. discolor (Blume) Forman, therefore, the number comes down to 12 species. While examining the Stephania specimens housed in the Herbarium of Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (HN) in Hanoi, Vietnam, two specimens of the same species were encountered which did not correspond to any known Vietnamese species. During our routine floristic surveys, a population of 20–30 individuals of the same plant was also seen in Phu Ho Village of Quan Ba District in Vietnam (Fig. 1). Efforts to locate it in the surrounding areas were without success. After the critical morphological study, consultation of relevant literature (Hô, 1991; Bân, 2003) and type specimens, we could identify them as Stephania subpeltata H.S. Lo, a newly recorded species for the flora of Vietnam. A detailed description, photographs, and illustration (Figs. 2, 3) are provided. S. subpeltata H. S. Lo, belongs to the ‘root non tuberous’ group which comprises S. japonica (Thunb.) Miers, and S. longa Lour. from Vietnam. Morphological comparison of S. subpeltata with these species is provided in Table 1. A taxonomic key to all Vietnamese Stephania species is also provided.

Taxonomic Treatment

Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo. Acta Phytotax. Sin. 16: 10, 1978.–TYPE: CHINA. Yunnan: Yangbi County, Pan Jia He, under mixed forest, 6 Nov 1940, Ching 25511 (Holotype: PE, not seen; Isotype: KUN!).

Climbers, 1–2 m long, herbaceous, glabrous, dioecious. Stems longitudinally striate. Petiole 1.5–2.5 cm, inserted 1–2 mm from the base of blade; leaf blade subpeltate, ovate deltoid or broadly deltoid, thin leathery, 3–8(−10) × 2–5 cm, base slightly concave, apex caudate or acuminate, slightly obtuse, often dark green when dry, 5-nerved. Male and female inflorescences isomorphic and composed of simple umbelliform cymes, few flowered; peduncle filamentous, 1–3.5 cm, with 3–5 cymelets fascicled; bracteole narrowly lanceolate, ca. 0.4 × 0.2 mm. Male flowers violet to greenish, sepals 6, in 2 whorls, outer whorl ovate, inner whorl sublanceolate, 1.5–2mm × ca. 1 mm, apex caudate; petals 3, in 1 whorl, broadly cuneate, 0.4–0.5 mm × 0.4–0.5 mm, violet. Stamens connate into a peltate synandrium. Synandrium 0.5–1 mm. Female flowers: perianth symmetrical; sepals 3, in 1 whorl, broadly ovate, ca. 1.5 mm × 0.8 mm, apex caudate; petals 3, in 1 whorl, oblate to broadly cuneate, ca. 0.6 mm × 0.5 mm; stigma 3-lobed, carpel 1, subovoid. Drupes orange-red, obovoid; endocarp 4.5–5 × 2–3 mm, dorsally bearing 4 rows of ornamentation, 2 rows closing to midrib dotted, lateral rows transversely ridged. Seed horseshoe-shaped.

Distribution: China (Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Xizang), Thailand (Chiang Mai), and Vietnam (Ha Giang).

Specimens examined: VIETNAM. Ha Giang Province: Meo Vac District, Sung Chang Municipality, 29 Apr 1999, K. L. Phan, H. H. Pham & L. Averyanov CBL 1808 (HN!); Dong Van District, Pho Ban, 1 Jul 1999, Ngo Van Trai 3676 A, B (NIMM!); Quan Ba District, Phu Ho village, 16 Jul 2014, Vu Tien Chinh 108 (HN!).

Ecology: The species occurs on the limestone hills, shrublands, up to ca. 1,100 m elevation. The present collection was found growing in forest edges and thickets along roadside with Arisaema lidaense J. Murata & S. K. Wu, Hedyotis havilanddii King, Tinospora sagitata (Oliv.) Gagn., Macaranga denticulata (Blume) Muell., Dendrotrophe frutescens (Benth.) Danser., Lasianthus kerrii Craib, and Lasianthus cupreus Pierre. Flowering in April and fruiting from December to January.

Key to Stephania species in Vietnam

1. Rootstock not tuberous ··················································· 2
1. Rootstock tuberous ························································· 4
- 2. Inflorescences hispidulous ···························· S. longa
- 2. Inflorescences glabrous ············································· 3
  - 3. Leaf palmately 9–11 nerved. Petiole inserted over 3–4 mm from the basal margin of lamina. Male flowers with 6 or 8 sepals, 3 or 4 petals, yellowish green; female flowers with 6–8 sepals, 3–4 petals ································································ S. japonica
  - 3. Leaf palmately 5 nerved. Petiole inserted over 1–2 mm from the basal margin of lamina. Male flowers with 6 sepals, 3 petals, purple; female flowers with 3 sepals and 3 petals ························· S. subpeltata
- 4. Inflorescences capitate, with discoid receptacle ········································································ S. cepharantha
- 4. Inflorescences compound umbelliform cymes, without discoid receptacle ······················································· 5
  - 5. Male flowers: sepals 4 or 5, petals absent ················································································ S. pierrei
  - 5. Male flowers: sepals 6, petals 3 ·························· 6
    
    6. Plant with red sap. Stems pinkish ················· 7
    
    7. Leaf palmately veined. Blade margin toothed. Endocarp abaxially ornamented with 2 rows, 18–20 rows of transverse ridge ····· ····················································· S. dielsiana
    
    7. Leaf palmately veined but semi-regular. Blade margin not toothed. Endocarp abaxially ornamented with 4 rows, 12–16 rows of transverse ridges ············· S. venosa
    
    6. Plant without red sap. Stem greenish ············ 8
    
    8. Male flowers: petals 4 ·········· S. cambodica
    
    8. Male flower: petal 3 ··································· 9
    
    9. Petiole ca. 30 cm ······················ S. sinica
    
    9. Petiole 8–18 cm ··································· 10
    
    10. Male flowers: sepals yellow. Female flower: sepal 3 or 5 ······· S. rotunda
    
    10. Male flowers: sepals green. Female flower: sepal 1 or 2 ····················· 11
    
    11. Male flowers: sepals dark green, outer 1.7–2.2 mm long. Female flowers: sepals 1, ovate, ca. 1 mm; endocarp 9–10 × 8 mm, condyle not perforated ·· S. brachyandra
    
    11. Male flowers: sepals light green, outer 1.5–1.6 mm long. Female flowers: sepals 1 or 2, subovate, ca. 3 mm; endocarp 5–6 × 4–5.5 mm, condyle perforated ································· S. kwangsiensis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Authors are thankful to the South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) for providing research facilities and financial support. We would like to thank the curators of Herbaria HN, HNPI, HNPM, K, KRIB, KUN, P, PE, VNM and the herbarium of the Scientific Committee of Lao (PDR) for their help during this research. This research is funded by Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under grant number 106-NN.99-2015.26. The third author (R.K.C.) acknowledges to the MoU between Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India and International Biological Material Research Institute, Korea Research Institute of Science & Technology, Korea, which facilitated this research. Constructive comments received from the anonymous reviewers helped to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Fig. 1.

Map showing the collection sites of Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo in Northern Vietnam.

Fig. 2.

Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo. A. Habit. B. Leaves. C, D. Female inflorescence. E. Pistillate flowers. F. Sepal. G. Petal. H. Stigma. I. Drupes (photographs by V. T. Chinh).

Fig. 3.

Stephania subpeltata H. S. Lo. A. Habit of male plant with inflorescence. B. Male flower. C. Sepal. D. Synandrium (drawn by Ding-Han Cui, based on CBL 1808).

Table 1.

Morphological comparison of Stephania subpeltata with its allied species

Morphological characters	S. longa	S. japonica	S. subpeltata
Blade	Conspicuously peltate, triangular-ovate	Conspicuously peltate, usually triangular-rotund or broadly triangular-ovate to rotund	Subpeltate, ovate deltoid or broadly deltoid to subdeltoid
Petiole	1–4.5 cm	3–12 cm	1.5–2.5 mm
Leaf veins	10 or 11	8–11	5
Cymelets	Axillary compound umbelliform cymes, pedunculate	Sessile or nearly so, tightly condensed into compound umbelliform cymes	Conspicuously pedicellate, loose, in simple, seldom compound, umbelliform cymes
Flower color	Yellowish green	Yellowish green	Purple
Endocarp	Abaxially ornamented with rows of 10 or slightly more	Abaxially ornamented with rows of 10 or slightly more	Abaxially ornamented with rows of 2 or 4

Literature Cited

Bân, NT. 2003. Menispermaceae.. Checklist of Plant Species of Vietnam 2. Nguyen, TB (ed.), Agricultural Publishing House, Ha Noi. 140-152.

Chi, Y. Tian, T and Li, X. 2008. Pharmaceutical value and advances in tissue culture of Shan–Wu–Gui. Chinese Journal of Ethnomedicine and Ethnopharmacy 12: 13-15.

De Loureiro, J. 1790. Flora Cochinchinensis. Typis et Expensis Academicis, Ulyssipone 598: 608-609.

Diels, L. 1910. Menispermaceae. Das Pflanzenreich. 4: 94. Engler, A (ed.), Verlag Von Wilhelm Engelmann Press, Leipzig. 259-283.

Forman, LL. 1988. A synopsis of Thai Menispermaceae. Kew Bulletin 43: 369-407.

Forman, LL. 1991. Menispermaceae.. Flora of Thailand.. 5(3): Smitinand, T. Larsen, K (eds.), The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok. 300-365.

Hô, PH. 1991. Cay Co Vietnam: An Illustrated Flora of Vietnam.. 3: 3rd ed.. Mekong Printing, Santa Ana, CA. 414-416.

Hu, CM. Lo, HS. Chen, T and Gilbert, MG. 2008. Menispermaceae.. Flora of China. Vol. 7. Menispermaceae though Capparaceae. Wu, Z-Y. Raven, PH. Hong, DY (eds.), Science Press, Beijing and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St Louis, MO. 1-31.

Huang, JM and Guo, JX. 1998. Research progress on the alkaloids from the genus Stephania in China.. West China Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 13: 97-99.

Huang, JM. Guo, JX and Pan, SL. 1999. A preliminary study on chemotaxonomy of the genus Stephania. West China Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 14: 108-110.

Kessler, PJA. 1993. Menispermaceae.. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol II. Flowering Plants: Dicotyledons. Magnoliid, Hamamelid and Caryophyllid Families. Kubitzki, K. Rohwer, JG. Bittrich, V (eds.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 40-418.

Lo, H-S. 1978. A Preliminary study on the genus Stephania in China. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 16: 10-40.

Luo, XR. 1982. A systematic notes on the genus Stephania of China. Bulletin of Botanical Research 2: 33-59.

Luo, XR. Chen, T and Gilbert, MG. 2008. Menispermaceae. In Flora of China. Vol. 7. Menispermaceae though Capparaceae. Wu, Z-Y. Raven, PH. Hong, DY (eds.), Science Press, Beijing and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St Louis, MO. 15-27.

Newman, M. Ketphanh, S. Svengsuksa, B. Thomas, P. Sengdala, K. Lamxay, V and Armstrong, K. 2007. A Checklistof the Vascular Plants of Lao PDR.. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh. 230-232.

Semwal, DK. Badoni, R. Semwal, R. Kothiyal, SK. Singh, GJP and Rawat, U. 2010. The genus Stephania (Menispermaceae): chemical and pharmacological perspectives.. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 132: 369-383.

Xie, D. He, J. Huang, J. Xie, H. Wang, Y. Kang, Y. Jabbour, F and Guo, J. 2015. Molecular phylogeny of Chinese Stephania (Menispermaceae) and reassessment of the subgeneric and sectional classifications. Australian Systematic Botany 28: 246-255.

Yang, H-M and Chen, Y. 1994. Chemosystematic notes of genus Stephania (Menispermaceae) in China. Acta Botanica Sinica 36: 14-22.

Zheng, XZ. 1986. Pharmacognosy. People’s Medical Pubilshing House; Beijing. 490.

Zhu, CL. Zhao, YH and Ma, WG. 2007. Dai Medicine.. China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing. 275 pp.

Zhu, Z-Y. Feng, Y-X. Ho, L-Y and Wang, Y-C. 1983. Utilization of medicinal plant resources of the genus Stephania of the family Menispermaceae in China. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 18: 460-467.