Corsiopsis chinensis
| Corsiopsis chinensis | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Corsiopsis | ||||||||||||
| DXZhang , RMKSaunders & CMHu | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Corsiopsis chinensis | ||||||||||||
| DXZhang , RMKSaunders & CMHu |
Corsiopsis chinensis is the only kind of the genus Corsiopsis from the family of Corsiaceae within the lily-like (Liliales). It was first described in 1999 on the basis of a single specimen collected in 1974.
description
Habitus
Corsiopsis chinensis is a perennial, unbranched and upright herbaceous plant . Like all species in the family, it has given up photosynthesis and accordingly no longer forms chlorophyll , instead it lives myco-heterotrophic . The entire plant is white.
A creeping rhizome 5 to 6 centimeters long and up to 2 millimeters thick sprouts from the ellipsoidal to inverted egg-shaped, 12 to 15 millimeters long and up to 5 millimeters thick, creeping rhizome . The stem- encompassing sheathed, reduced leaflets are 4 to 7 millimeters long, egg-shaped-triangular, tapering to a point and grow distributed along the entire stem, heaped at the base of the stem.
blossoms
The species is single-sexed ( monoecious ) and flowers in June. On each stem is terminal, almost upright, only one zygomorphic and threefold flower . Five of the six bracts (three tepals each in two circles) are thread-shaped, 4.5 to 6 centimeters long and hang tentacle-like down to the ground, they probably serve as a climbing aid for ground-dwelling pollinators, whether they are provided with extra-floral nectaries for the purpose of attracting pollinators cannot be said at the moment. The top sixth bloom, the labellum , is considerably enlarged, encloses the bloom like a 12 to 14 millimeter long and 10 millimeter wide bladder and leaves the pollinator only a small access on the underside of the flower base . The trap-like structure prevents the pollinators from leaving the flower too quickly and thus increases the chances of pollination. In the male flowers, the six stamens, arranged in two circles, are arranged in a ring around an elevation of the flower base. In female flowers are the three carpels an under constant, 5 millimeters long ovary grown and the three scars embedded in the receptacle.
Nothing is currently known about the shape of the pollen, seeds and fruits, but the latter is assumed to be capsule fruits .
Distribution area
 
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Corsiopsis chinensis has only been found once near Sheng-kang village in Fengkai County , Guangdong , People's Republic of China . This makes it the only Corsiaceae taxon in the northern hemisphere. It thrives in very humus rich soils in the undergrowth of dense forests at altitudes between 150 and 700 m and occurs in association with Ormosia pachycarpa , Nauclea officinalis , Nephelium chryseum and Pinanga sinii .
literature
- Dianxiang Zhang , Richard MK Saunders, Chi-Ming Hu: Corsiopsis chinensis gen. Et sp. nov. (Corsiaceae): First Record of the Family in Asia , in: Systematic Botany, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Jul-Sep, 1999), pp. 311–314, ( Abstract Online )
- Dianxiang Zhang, Richard MK Saunders: Corsiaceae , in: Flora of China Editorial Committee (Ed.) Flora of China. Vol. 23 (Acoraceae through Cyperaceae). Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis 2010. Accessed June 26, 2018