Hosta Species Update●The Hosta Library●ORG20090415●©W. George Schmid 2009 Original Edition ORG20090415 Revised Edition 20100421

H.albofarinosa D.Q. Wang 1989

Guihaia [广西植物] 9 (4):297-298; f. 1. 白粉玉簪 = bai fen yu zan = white powder Hosta (Chinese)

アルボファリノサギボウシ = “Albofarinosa” Gibōshi (Japanese) [ ホスタアルボファリノサ] = “Hosta albofarinosa” (in Mikinori Ogisu )

Introduction: In the early 1980s, exploration of the flora in the Huangshan Mountains (黄山; Huángshān) conducted by De Qun Wang (王德群; 1989) resulted in the discovery of a new Hosta species, named H. albofarinosa. The mountains, also known as Yellow Mountains, are located in southern Anhui Province (Ānhuī Shěng; 安徽省), which is part of the Eastern China Region, a distance of 260 miles (420 km)

west of Nangking (Nanjin; 南京). Wang carried out his research in the Biology Faculty of Anhui Univer-sity in Hefei city (合肥 ; Héféi). These mountains are steep granitic peaks and slopes with thin soil layers and mainly litho-phytic habitats up high in the tops and with grass-lands on the lower slopes. A holotype and vouchers were collected in or near the Liugujian Nature Pre- serve (六股尖). This area is a focal part of the cen-tral subtropical vegeta-tion zone in the moun-tain region of Anhui. It is replete with huge variety of seed plants and strate-gies for plant preserva-tion are now being in-vestigated (Chen Ming-Lin 2007). Vouchers were cultivated for six years at Anhui University gardens to establish cultivation re-quirements and morpho-logical data.

2010-04-21 - 1 -

Pinus hwangshanensis W.Y. Hsia In the Huangshan Mountains (黄山; Huángshān) Habitat of H. albofarinosa ■ ©Ariel Steiner 2005

H. H. albofarinosa D.Q. Wang (1989) = (白粉玉簪) [in flower] Loc. cit. (in situ): 600-800m; south-east Anhui Province (Ānhuī Shěng; 安徽省);

Xiuning County (休宁县); Huangshan Mountains (黄山; Huángshān) Court.: ©Mikinori Ogisu (荻巣樹徳; 幻の植物を追って)

Habitat and Biology: The habitat of H. albofarinosa is found in the central tropi-cal vegetation zone of southern Anhui Province (Ānhuī Shěng; 安徽省). The main habitat is recorded in the Huangshan Mountains (黄山; Huángshān). In situ photo-graphs indicate populations occurring as lithophytes in the higher elevations, as well as, on grass-covered, lower talus slopes. Most of the populations occur in open areas,

where this taxon successfully competes with aggressive grasses. As I pointed out in Genus Hosta - Gibōshi Zoku (Schmid 1991, pp. 298-299), in checking a large number of the available Hosta her-barium specimens I came upon a number of exsiccata collected in central and east-ern China, which are not identified. One of the speci-mens is identified as No. 243, collected by C.S. Fan and Y.Y. Lee on 1936-06-25. Lo-

2010-04-21 - 2 -

cation is listed in Anhui (as Anhwei) and its recognizable morphology is very similar to that of H. albofarinosa. The leaves show a trace of pruinosity. It may be possible that this taxon was collected at that time, but such determinations cannot be made from dried herbarium specimens alone. It is clear that these specimens were not recognized at that time and no identification nor the establishment of a name was attempted. Several other specimens show similarity as well, including one collected by the famous China explorer Ernest H. Wilson (1876-1930) on his third China ex-pedition (1906-1909), arranged through Charles S. Sargent, then the director of the Arnold Arboretum. For three years, beginning in late 1906, Wilson explored Hubei province (Húběi Shěng; 湖北), bordering Anhui province to the West and the specimen mentioned was part of his collection (No. 1569; 1909-07-30). H. albofari-

nosa is one of four indigenous species listed in Flora of China (中國植物誌) Vol. 24 p. 204: H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. ensata and H. albofarinosa. The specific epithet of the lat-ter derives its name from its white powdery coating on its leaf surfaces, which is particu-larly noticeable on its abaxial surface: (albus = white; farina (farinosus) = like flour (a pow-dery, white coating). This fea-ture makes this taxon unique among Chinese Hosta species. Due to its uniqueness, it is dif-ficult to connect it with any of the extant indigenous Chinese species. Wang (1989) states that H. albofarinosa is compa-rable to H. ventricosa and that the latter is more drought-resistant than the new taxon found in Anhui Province. Not-withstanding, the morphol-ogical differences are consider-able, as is the requisite ecologi-cal habitat. In situ photographs indicate a habitat similar to H. longipes, but this cannot be de-termined from visual evidence only. A close-up photo of the tepal coloration shows it to be type C (Schmid 1991), which is characteristic of the H. sieboldii

2010-04-21 - 3 -

H. albofarinosa (?) A specimen collected in 1909 by Ernest H. WilsonIn western Hubei province (Húběi Shěng; 湖北)

complex. Sectional placement of this taxon will require vouchers for close examina-tion, RAPD-DNA analysis, determination of genome size, and palynology. Judging by in-situ photographs, this new taxon exhibits unique features that show its evolution-ary development in an isolated, mountainous habitat.

■ ◙

Habitat Map of H. albofarinosa (白粉玉簪) in Anhui (安徽省) ◙ = H. albofarinosa in Huangshan Mountains (黄山; Huángshān)

■ = Hosta sp. [undetermined] coll. (E.H. Wilson; China expedition 1909) (for explanation see page 3)

2010-04-21 - 4 -

Plant Morphology: Although this new species has been declared similar to H. ventricosa (D.Q. Wang 1989), it ap-pears to be similar to H. longipes in the leaf mound and near to H. sieboldii in its flower morphology. Its lithophytic habitat is similar to that of H. longipes, but it is also present in grassy, subalpine meadows at lower elevations. An exact sectional classification awaits the avail-ability of vouchers.

Plant size 20–30 cm dia., 15–20 cm high (8–12 by 6–8 in.). Petiole 10–25 by 0.4 cm wide (4–10 by 0.15 in. wide) bending to horizontal, spreading. Leaf 13–28 by 6–9 cm (5–11 by 2.5–3.5 in.), erect and in line with petiole, base with cuneate transition, generally flat surface and ±keeled, slight wavy in margin, whitish powdery coating particularly on the abaxial surfaces, with apex acumi-nate; venation 5–7, projected below. Scape 40–50 cm (16–19 in.), leaning strongly to the horizontal, slightly dull green with a faint whitish bloom. Sterile bracts 1-3, below raceme, whitish to green, boat-shaped, small, to 2 cm (1 in.) long. Raceme 6–10 flowers on short pedicels, widely spaced and subtended by navicular bracts, thin, membranous, whitish to green, withering, falling away

during anthesis. Flowers with 6 white tepals type C (Schmid 1991)▼ (below); interior with purple striping (shown); perianth 4.5 by 3 cm across the lobes (1.75 by 1.25 in.), carried hori-zontally on strong pedicels, perianth expanding, funnel-shaped, lobes spreading lily-shaped, stamens subequaling or slightly longer than perianth. Anthers yellow; style excerted; not fragrant. Fruit an elongated capsule, triangular on strong pedicel, held horizontally or slightly subhorizontally. Fertile.

Karyotype-Chromosomes: Sporophytic Count = 60; 12 large, 48 small; (2n).

Genome Size: DNA content (2C) in pg (one (10-12) gram) = Not determined.

2010-04-21 - 5 -

H. albofarinosa (?) Specimen collected by E.H. Wilson (1909)

In western Hubei province (Húběi Shěng; 湖北)

Pollen: Pollen size and type: Not determined.

DNA Banding: Not determined. Taxonomic Type and Synonymy: H. albofarinosa D.Q. Wang

Guihaia [广西植物] 9 (4):297-298; f. 1. 1989. Taxon ID: 240001309 Type: ACM; No. 8914 (Holotype); coll.: Chen Kebang (程克邦) and Zhou Tongshui (周铜水); deposited in Herbarium of Anhui Traditional Medical College [ACM = 安徽中医学院中药系药用植物标本室 ]

Chinese Synonyms:

白粉玉簪 = bai fen yu zan = white powder Hosta (Chinese) Japanese Synonyms:

アルボファリノサギボウシ = “Albofarinosa” Gibōshi (Katakana) ホスタアルボファリノサ = “Hosta albofarinosa” in Mikinori Ogisu (荻巣樹徳; 幻の植物を追って)

1. Leaves/Flowers 2. Striped Perianth 3. Style (Removed)

Sketch of H. albofarinosa (白粉玉簪) Court.: © ex Guihaia [广西植物] 9 (4):297-298, f. 1.

2010-04-21 - 6 -

Horticulture and Cultivation: H.albofarinosa is not available in the West. Judging by the prevailing ecology in the H. albofarinosa habitat, this hosta should exhibit the same requirements as other lithophytic Hosta species. According to the Chinese journal Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences (2007; No. 44, Vol. 5, pp. 575-578), four species of Hosta, including H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. ensata, and H. albofarinosa

were introduced and observed as to their growth potential and adaptability to the environment in the vicinity of Urumchi (also (Ürüm [烏魯木齊; Wūlǔmùqí]), which is the capital and also the largest city of the northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China (新疆维吾尔

自 治 区 ). The results showed that the listed species have resis-tance to cold weather and a strong adaptability with high survival rate when planted in gardens of the Urumqi area. The climate in the area is a continental steppe climate with hot and dry sum-mers and temperature highs in July at 24°C (75°F). The winters are damp and cold with an average in January of -16°C (3°F). The annual precipitation is a very low 273 mm (10.75 inches). Western experience shows that rainfall totals are barely suffi-cient to sustain Hosta growth and supplemental watering may be required. It should also be mentioned that other Chinese scientific publications have re-quested protective measures for the natural scenic areas in the Huangshan Mountain Region

tourism in these areas comountains (Feng et al.; have received protectionand endangered plants o

2010-04-21

H. albofarinosLoc. cit.:Anhui Province

Huangshan MountainTypical seed capsul

Court.: ©Mi(荻巣樹徳; 幻の

a (白粉玉簪) (Ānhuī Shěng; 安徽省)s (黄山; Huángshān) es on long pedicels kinori Ogisu

(黄山; Huángshān). It is report-ed that the rapid development of

nstitutes threats to the seed plant diversity in these scenic 2005) and it appears that a number of plants in this area status. It appears that calls for protection of the many rare f this area will be observed.

- 7 -

植物を追って)

References: Chen Ming-Lin [陈明林], Deng-Yi Liu [刘登义], 崔淑卿, and Liu Xue-yun [刘雪云].

2007. The Diversity of Seed Plants in Liugujian Nature Reserve and Its Conservation Strategy [六股尖自然保护区种子植物多样性研究及其保护对

策]. Plant Research Bulletin of Botanical Research. 2007;Vol. 27, No. 4 (in Chinese).

4.

ss.

uthor’s written rmission.

Conran, J.G. 1998 in K. Kubitzki (Ed.):The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Vol. 3.

Feng [毕淑 峰], Ni Yong-mei [倪味咏], and Li Jian [李键]. 2005. Diversity of seed plants and utilization in Huangshan Nature and Scenic Reservation [黄山自

然风景保护区种子植物多样性的开发利用]. Research Development and the Market. 2005 Vol.21 No. 06 (in Chinese).

International Code for Botanical Nomenclature = ICBN, adopted by the International Botanical Congress, Nomenclature Section, Vienna Code 2005.

International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants = ICNCP, adopted by International Commission for the Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants of the International Union of Biological Science, IUBS Division of Botany, 200

Flora of China 2000. Vol. 24:204, 205 (中國植物誌 – Chinese Edition) Ogisu, M. [Mikinori; 荻巣樹徳]. 2008. 幻の植物を追って. Chapter 4 (in Japanese). Rudall P.J., P.J. Crib, D.F. Cutler et C.J. Humphries (eds.). Monocotyledons:

systematics and evolution. Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. Schmid, W.G. 1991. The genus Hosta: Gibōshi Zoku (ギボウシ属). London and

Portland: Timber PreWang, D.Q., 1989. A new species of Hosta from Anhui [王德群 廣西植物

安徽玉属一新种 ]. Guihaia [广 西植物] 9, (4):297-298; f. 1 (in Chinese). Zhang Rui-lin [张瑞麟], Bu Xiu-lian [卜秀莲], Fan Xiang-chang [樊祥昌], Tian

Zhen [田珍], and Zhang Bao-en [张宝恩]. 2007. Introduction of Hosta and its application to landscape in Urumqi [玉簪属植物在乌鲁木齐地区的引种及园

林应用]. Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences. 2007; No. 44, Vol. 5, pp. 575-578) (in Chinese).

Zilis, M.R. 2009. The Hostapedia Rochelle: Q & by Nursery, Inc. © W.George Schmid 2010: The text and illustrations are copyrighted and are available for personal reference only. Other contributors retain their copyright of featured photographs as noted in captions. The content may not be published in printed form without the ape

Web quote reference: W. George Schmid,

2010-04-21 - 8 -

HostaLibrary.org/species/.