Gyrocheilos 

Full name and orig. publication: Gyrocheilos W.T.Wang, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin, 1: 28 (July 1981), trans. & reimp. in Contr. New York Bot. Gard. 16: 10 (1986).

Etymology: From the Greek γυρος, gyros = round, and χειλος, cheilos = lip, in allusion to the undivided, semi-orbicular upper lip.

Synonyms: -

Infrafamilial position: Didymocarpoid Gesneriaceae - "Advanced Asiatic and Malesian genera" (Weber 2004).

Description: Perennial acaulescent herbs with stout rhizome. Leaves long petiolate, lamina coriaceous or papery, cordate or kidney-shaped, coarsely doubly dentate, both surfaces pubescent or strigose, palmately nerved. Cymes several- to many-flowered, pedunculate; bracteoles ovate. Sepals connate, forming a campanulate calyx, lobes linear or oblong, blunt. Corolla purple or rose pink, tube short, widening, limb bilabiate, upper lip semiorbicular, undivided, lower lip with 3 rounded lobes. Stamens 2, included, filaments inserted above corolla base; anthers ellipsoid, coherent, locules confluent; staminodes 2, small. Nectary annular. Ovary slender cylindrical, glabrous; style equalling ovary in length, exserted; stigma capitate. Capsule slender cylindrical, glabrous, loculicidally dehiscent.

Chromosome number: Unknown.

Species number: 4.

Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.

Type species: Gyrocheilos chorisepalum W.T.Wang

Distribution: S China (Guangxi, Guangdong, SE Guizhou). 

Ecology: In forests in wet places, in valleys and on rocks beside streams; 400-1600m.

Selected references: Wang et al. in Wu & Raven (eds.), Fl. China 18: 359-360 (1998).

Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2^nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.

Illustrations:

Gyrocheilos chorisepalum W.T. Wang, type species Ying T.S. et al., The endemic genera of seed plants in China, (1993); with permission.

Gyrocheilos chorisepalum W.T. Wang var. synsepalum W.T. Wang Li Z.Y & Wang Y.Z., Plants of Gesneriaceae in China, Figs. 1.276 and 1.277 (2004); with permission.

Gyrocheilos retrotrichum var. oligolobum W.T. Wang Li Z.Y & Wang Y.Z., Plants of Gesneriaceae in China, Fig. 1.280 and 1.281 (2004); with permission.

last modified: 2007-07-13