Microchirita in Peninsular Malaysia 
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Chirita sericea var. scortechinii Ridl., J. Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 43: 59 (1905). 
-TYPE: Peninsular Malaysia, Perak, 1884, Scortechini 112b (lectotype K, designated 
by Wood (1974); isolectotype SING). 
Herbaceous, apparently perennial plant. Stems, leaves and inflorescence densely hairy 
with eglandular white or downy hairs. Stems woody, pale green, sometimes reddish 
green, creeping to 30 cm long, internodes to 5.5 cm long. Leaves opposite; petiole 
pale green, to 2.2 cm long; lamina narrowly elliptic or narrowly ovate, 4-11 x 1M cm, 
pale green above, very pale green or whitish green beneath, coriaceous when fresh and 
dry, densely sericeous hairs on both surfaces, base attenuate, or sometimes cordate or 
unequal, margin serrulate, apex acuminate or acute; midrib sunken above, prominent 
beneath, lateral veins 5-10 pairs on each side of the midrib, intercostal veins reticulate. 
Inflorescences epiphyllous, 1-4-flowered; bracts absent; pedicels pale green, shortly 
fused to the short petiole, 2-3 cm long. Calyx pale green, clasping the corolla tube, 
lobes narrowly triangular, 16-20 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, outer surface densely 
hairy. Corolla hairy outside, tube pale blue, lilac or white, to 2.6 cm long, narrowly 
tubular, slightly curved, not pouched, throat yellow, glandular hairs translucent brown, 
positioned above the anthers; lobes conspicuously striped, upper lobes rounded, not 
spreading, 3.5-5 x 5-6 mm, lower lateral lobes elliptic, 5-6 x 5-7 mm, lower central 
lobe elliptic, elongated, 6.5-8 x 8-10 mm. Stamens : filaments brown, inserted 1.1- 
E4 cm from the base of the corolla, 4-8 mm long, slightly geniculate proximally; 
anthers very pale green, sometimes brown, anther-thecae divergent, 2-3 mm long, 
fused apically, with reflexed hairs on the lower surface; staminodes 2, cream, inserted 
1.1-1.4 cm from the base of the corolla tube, to 2 mm long. Nectary pale green or 
cream, 2-3 mm long, margin entire. Pistil pale green, densely eglandular hairy; ovary 
15-20 x 1-2 mm; style 1-1.2 cm long; stigma slightly 2-lobed, heart-shaped, to 2 mm 
long, abaxially velvety, adaxial with very fine papillose hairs. Capsule whitish green, 
to 7 cm long, cylindric slender, slightly curved; calyx persistent, green, hairy. Seeds 
yellowish cream, many in one row, 300-380 x 120-250 pm, broadly elliptic, rounded, 
surface papillate or canaliculate. 
Distribution. Endemic to Peninsular Malaysia (Perak, Perlis and Kedah). 
Habitat & ecology. On limestone cliffs or rocks, in dry places at the foot of limestone 
cliffs, often under overhangs or near caves. 
Provisional IUCNconservation status. Endangered ENB lab(iii). This species does not 
grow within the network of Totally Protected Areas and has a narrow distribution. The 
populations are restricted to a few hills in Perak, i.e. Kuala Dipang, Ipoh limestone and 
one record from Gunung Baling, Kedah. The last collection from Gunung Baling was 
made in 1941 and recent field trips did not re-locate it from that area. Part of Gunung 
Baling is currently disturbed by quarrying activity. In Perak, no karst hill is protected 
and many hills are actively being quarried or the flora is being degraded by resort or 
recreational development or through activities related to temples (Kiew et al., 2011). 
