6. Hapaline ellipticifolia C.Y. Wu & H. Li

in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 2: 775 (1977) ('ellipticifolium'), Kurz in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal n.s. 42(2): pl.9 (1873) (as H. benthamiana), Wu, C.Y. & Li, H. in Wu, C.Y. & Li, H (eds), Fl. Yunnan. 2: 775 (1979) (ëellipiticifolium‰). Type: China, Yunnan, Hekou, Manlai, Cai Khe-hua 198, (holotype KUN!; isotypes K (photo!), KUN!, YUNU!).

Slender, tuberous, deciduous perennial herb up to 43 cm tall. Stem: tuber compressed globose to rhizomatous, 2 - 2.4 x 1 - 1.5 cm; stolon unknown. Roots c. 0.25 mm in diam. Leaf: prophyll oblong-triangular, c. 5 cm x 4 mm, acute; cataphyll linear-triangular, up to 10 cm x 9 mm, acute; petiole 9 - 20 cm x c. 2 mm; leaf blade elliptic, 5.2 - 15.5 x 2.9 - 8.5, thin-textured, dark green, margins smooth, apex acute to slightly attenuate, posterior lobes parallel. Inflorescence: 1 - 4 together, emerging before the leaves, occasionally with them; peduncle 18 - 24 cm x 1 - 2 mm; spathe 5 - 8.5 cm long; spathe limb 3 - 6.5 x 1 - 1.1 cm, oblong-elliptic, apex acute with a 1 - 2 mm apicule, base decurrent into lower spathe; lower spathe margins clasping, 1 - 1.5 cm x 1 - 1.5 mm; spadix 4.5 - 9 cm x 1 - 2 mm, free portion cylindric, 3.5 - 5 cm, tapering apically into an appendix composed of free synandrodes. Flowers: synandria linear-elliptic in plan view, 3 - 4 x 1 mm; ovaries bottle-shaped, 2 x 1 mm, c. 8 in a single row; stigma capitate, c. 0.33 mm in diam; style very short. Infructescence: unknown. (Fig. 6.).

DISTRIBUTION. China (Yunnan), Burma. CHINA. Yunnan, He Kou, Man Lai, Cai Ke-Hua 198 (holotype KUN!; isotypes K (photo!), KUN!, YUKU!). BURMA. Pegu & Martaban, Karway, Kurz 268 (BM!, K!).

HABITAT. Unknown. Hapaline ellipticifolia is close in appearance to H. benthamiana and differing in the shape of the ovary (bottle-shaped versus ovoid) and leaf blade outline (elliptic versus sagittate). The Kurz 268 collection cited above (see also Kurz 1873: pl.9) has long been assumed to belong to H. benthamiana. However, the Kurz collection has a leaf blade with parallel posterior lobes and bottle-shaped ovaries.