Dipelta yunnanensis Franch.

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

Type

Lectotype: China, Yunnan, Dali Pref., June 1886, Delavay 2222 (lectotype P!, isolectotype K!).

Morphology General Habit

Deciduous shrubs or small trees with erect to decumbent branches to 4 m tall

Morphology General Bark

Bark brownish grey, longitudinally and irregularly fissured, flaking into long strips on old branches

Morphology Branches

Young branches glabrous or densely tomentose with short, long, glandular and curved hairs

Morphology General Buds

Buds with several pairs of glabrescent scales

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blade abaxially glabrescent or pubescent and ciliate on veins and margins, adaxially glabrous or sparsely hairy Leaves ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, 3.5 – 12 cm long, 1.2 – 3.5 cm wide, acute, long acuminate or caudate at the apex, obtuse, or cuneate at base

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina Leaf margin

Margin entire, or sometimes remotely 2 or 3 dentate

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 6 – 14 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences few-flowered cymes forming at the end of short shoots, and along the previous year’s branches Inflorescences often paired at the apex of the branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers single, peduncle to 20 mm long, thin and with a pair of narrow lanceolate bracts towards the middle Flowers fragrant, white to pink

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx bilabiate, fused at the base and lobes divided ½ – 2/32/3; sepals erect, 3 – 6 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla lobes erect to spreading, 5 – 10 mm long Base of corolla tube saccate and containing the nectary, bulge inserted and protruding in between the abaxial sepals Corolla bilabiate, tube gradually expanding to the campanulate corolla mouth, 20 – 30 mm long; lower lip hirsute bearded with reticulate orange-yellow markings

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted in lower third of the corolla tube and nearly as long as the corolla tube

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments sparsely pilose at base and deflexed towards the dorsal side of the corolla

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers oblong, 2 – 3 mm long, white or yellowish

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary tetralocular, ventral and dorsal locules with numerous biseriate apical sterile ovules, lateral locules with one apical fertile ovule Ovary obovate, longitudinally ribbed and dorsi-ventrally compressed, with a short apical sterile neck

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Style 20 – 30 mm, filiform, as long as the corolla tube or slightly exserted, sparsely hairy, stigmas capitate, white and papillose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a 2-seeded achene enclosed inbetween the abaxial episepal and two large, laterally winged and spreading episepals

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx

Lateral episepals accrescent, 15 – 20 mm in diameter, reniform, dry and papery with conspicuous reticulate venation Adaxial episepal reduced, lanceolate, sometimes missing Epicalyx of 4 lobes, lateral episepals reniform, obliquely ovate and laterally accrescent even during anthesis, finally covering the ovary when corolla falls Abaxial episepal ovate sometimes recurved at margin, and spreading along the lateral episepals

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds globose.

Distribution

China, Myanmar. Dipelta yunnanensis is the most common species in the genus and can be found growing in the mountains of NW Yunnan, reaching southern Sichuan (Muli) and SE Tibet (Chayu). The species can be found along the deep valleys of the Nu jiang, Lancang jiang and Chang jiang reaching eastern Sichuan and Chongqing.

Ecology

Mixed forest, scrub; 1,600 – 4,000 m.

Conservation

Least Concern (LC).

Phenology

Flowering May – June. Fruiting July – Nov.

Note

Yunnanensis referring to the Chinese province of Yunnan in SW China. The leaves of Dipelta yunnanensis are usually more elliptic or ovate than those of other Dipelta species and are very variable regarding indumentum.

Vernacular

云南双盾木 Yunnanshuangdunmu or Yunnan double shield shrub.