Paralagarosolen

Etymology: Composed of the praefix Greek παρα-, para- = beside, close by, similar to, and the generic name Lagarosolen.

Synonyms: -

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

Description: Small rosette herbs. Leaves petiolate, lamina sometimes peltate at base. Inflorescences scapose, one-flowered. Calyx campanulate, 5-partite, persistent. Corolla zygomorphic, hypocrateriform; tube cylindrical, limb bilabitae, upper lip 2-partite, lobes oblong, lower lip 3-partite, lobes ovate or ovate-oblong, palatum of median lobe with brownish glandular-puberulous. Fertile stamens 2, the anterior ones, glabrous, included; filaments sublinear, tapering on both sides, anthers subdorsifix, ventrally coherent, broadly elliptical, thecae divaricate, confluent. Staminodes 2, glabrous, narrowly linear, apically slightly enlarged. Disc annular. Pilstil included; ovary ovoid to subellipsoid, densely appressed-glandular-puberulous, unilocular, with two divaricate pariental placentae; style elongate, filiform, stigmas 2, sparsely and patently glandular-puberulous. Capsule ovoid-ellipsoid, 4-sulcate, apex subobtuse, slightly longer than persistent calyx, hairy, opening by 4 valves when ripe. Seeds ellipsoidal, rarely ovoid, densely verrucose.

Chromosome number: Unknown.

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 and only species: Paralagarosolen fangianum Y.G. Wei

Distribution: SE China (Guangxi: Napo, Pohe).

Ecology: Growing on limestone hills, c. 1100 m.

Notes: The genus is closely related to Lagarosolen, sharing the cylindrical, not pouched corolla tube, and a bilobed stigma, but differing by the sometimes basally peltate leaves, single-flowered cymes, apically rounded-obtuse corolla lobes, and a broadly ovoid-ellipsoid capsule.

Selected references: Wei, Acta phytotax. Sin. 42(6): 528-532 (2004), orig. descr.

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

Illustrations:

Paralagarosolen fangianum Y.G. Wei, type and only species Wei 2004, Fig. 1, orig. illustration.

Paralagarosolen fangianum Y.G. Wei, type and only species Li Z.Y & Wang Y.Z., Plants of Gesneriaceae in China, Figs. 1.143 and 1.144 (2004); with permission.