Abelia chinensis R.Br.

Landrein, S., Farjon, A. (2020). A monograph of Caprifoliaceae: Linnaeeae. Kew Bulletin 75: 1 doi:10.1007/s12225-018-9762-5

Morphology General Habit

Semi-evergreen decumbent shrubs, up to 1 m high, densely branched

Morphology Branches

Young branches terete, densely pubescent, with minutely spreading hairs, crisp hairs or glabrous

Morphology General Bark

Bark brownish grey, longitudinally and irregularly fissured

Morphology General Buds

Winter buds with several pairs of acuminate and ciliate perulae

Morphology Leaves

Leaves ovate, or elliptic 5 – 50 mm long, 4 – 26 mm wide, obtuse or acute at the apex, cuneate or sometimes cordate at base, subentire, with depressed minute teeth 2 – 12 on each side or sometimes incised Leaf blade glabrous or with few scattered short hairs above, pale green, glabrous and gland dotted beneath; lateral veins 3 – 5 on each side, slightly depressed above and often covered with tufts of hairs abaxially Leaves opposite, commonly whorled by 3 or 4 on reiteration shoots

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 1 – 3 (4) mm long, puberulous and grooved on the upper side

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a terminal or subterminal loose to compact globose thyrse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers paired, flowering consecutively, white and fragrant

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 3 – 4 mm long sometimes longer, minutely pubescent and with a pair of reduced bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx

Epicalyx of six prophylls, episepals 0.5 – 2 mm long with a ciliate margin

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes 5, subequal, lanceolate to slightly spathulate to 3 – 5 mm long, 0.8 – 3 mm wide, obtuse or acute at apex, long attenuate at the base, glabrous or slightly puberulous above, distinctly nerved and reddish

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla almost regular and infundibuliform-campanulate, 7 – 11 mm long; the tubular portion 4 – 5 mm long, widening upwards to 2 – 3.5 mm wide at the top, white Corolla lobes 5, subequal, ovate, 1.5 – 3 mm long, minutely puberulous outside, hairy-barbate on lower lip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Nectary gland more or less conspicuous and forming a basal ventral pouch at the base of the corolla tube

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, long exserted from the corolla tube, inserted near the middle of the corolla tube Filaments 4 – 8 mm long, hairy in the lower part, anthers oblong, 1.5 – 2 mm long, at first bluish/pinkish, versatile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary thin, cylindrical or fusiform, 3 – 5 mm long, 0.6 – 0.8 mm wide, sparsely and very minutely puberulous, inconspicuously and longitudinally ribbed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 7 – 15 mm long, exserted to long-exserted, glabrous to pubescent apically

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma small, discoid and papillate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a fusiform achene, 4 – 4.5 mm long Achene wind dispersed with the 5 persistent and apically spreading sepals.

Distribution

belia chinensis is widely distributed in eastern China including Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Fujian, Anhui, Zhejiang as well as Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands. Two more disjunct areas occur: one in Western Hubei and Chongqing and another in northern Yunnan and Sichuan.

Note

Abelia chinensis and A. uniflora s.l. are two complementary species and rarely share the same habitat. Abelia chinensis usually grows at lower altitude and in more open rocky habitats. In Abelia chinensis var. lipoensis, achenes are fusiform and glabrescent, whereas in A. chinensis var. hanceana, achenes are short and hispid with spathulate calyx lobes