Ying T.S. et al., The endemic genera of seed plants in China, Fig. 107 (1993); with permission.
Full name and orig. publication: Cathayanthe Chun, Sunyatsenia 6: 282 (8 Nov. 1946).
Etymology: Composed of cathay, an archaic or literary name for China, and the Greek άνθη, anthē = flower.
Synonyms: -
Infrafamilial position: Didymocarpoid Gesneriaceae - "Advanced Asiatic and Malesian genera" (Weber 2004).
Description: Perennial acaulescent herbs with slender horizontal rhizome. Leaves emerging in a series (? two rows) from the rhizome, long-petiolate, lamina membranaceous, narrowly (ob)ovate-lanceolate. Cymes long-pedunculate, with a single pair of nodding flowers; bracteoles absent. Sepals connate, forming a bilabiate calyx, upper lip undivided, lower lip 4-lobed, lobes lanceolate. Corolla purple, tubular-campanulate, bilabiate, upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, lobes elliptic, of equal size. Stamens 4, included; filaments inserted at middle of corolla tube, curved, glandular pubescent; anthers coherent, locules confluent at apex, connective apiculate; staminodes absent. Nectary cupular. Ovary narrowly ellipsoidal, glandular pubescent; style slender; stigma semiorbicular, depressed. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, compressed, loculicidally dehiscent, with persistent style.
Chromosome number: Unknown.
Type and only species: Cathayanthe biflora Chun
Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.
Distribution: S China (Hainan).
Ecology: Growing on rocks, in wet valleys and ravines; c. 2400 m.
Notes: This endemic of Hainan Island is characterised by the unusual habit and the peculiar bilabiate calyx.
Selected references: Wang et al. in Wu & Raven (eds.), Fl. China 18: 284-285 (1998).
Bibliography: See Skog, L.E.
Bibliography: amp; J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography
Illustrations:
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Cathayanthe biflora Chun
Ying T.S. et al., The endemic genera of seed plants in China, Fig. 107 (1993); with permission. |
last modified: 2007-07-13