A revision of Microchirita in Thailand 
239 
Edinburgh 33: 199 (1974); Burtt, Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 29: 88 (2001). - TYPE: 
Cult. Hort. Bot. Aberdeen from seeds collected by Kerr ( Kerr 11172), Thailand, Kaw 
Tao [Surat Thani, Kao Tao], 30/12/1926 (lectotype ABD [specimen with appended 
protologue], designated by Puglisi in Rafidah (2017); isolectotypes ABD [2 sheets]). 
(Fig. 7) 
Chirita involucellata Craib, Gard. Chron., Ser. 3, 83: 140 (1928). - TYPE: Cult. Hort. 
Bot. Aberd., 17/11/1927, from seeds collected by Kerr, Thailand, [Chumphon], Tako, 
8/2/1927 (holotype ABD). 
Notes. This species is easily recognisable from the inflorescence, which has two 
bracts that are not fused across the axis (compare to Microchirita rupestris where the 
bracts are fused together). The flower is narrowly funnel shaped, variously coloured 
in shades of purple, and the fruit is narrow, long and more or less curved. In Thailand 
three varieties can be distinguished. 
Key to the varieties of Microchirita involucrata 
la. Bracts 16-45 mm long; corolla 18-21 mm long.2 
lb. Bracts to 10 mm long; corolla c. 35 mm long. 
. He. M. involucrata var. gigant flora 
2a. Anthers hairy.11a . M. involucrata var. involucrata 
2b. Anthers glabrous.lib. M. involucrata var. capitis 
11a. Microchirita involucrata var. involucrata 
Lithophytic or terrestrial, succulent herb to 2 m tall. Stem fleshy, very sparsely hairy 
(mixed glandular and eglandular hairs), green or purple-reddish, especially around 
the nodes and the younger parts, branching, with internodes 1-7 cm. Leaves opposite, 
except for the single basal leaf; petioles 1.5-6 cm long, eglandular hairy; blades mid 
to dark green above, greenish white beneath, ovate or lanceolate, 4.1-11 x 2.6-6.8 cm, 
1.2-1.9 times as long as wide, base shortly attenuate to rounded, often unequal, apex 
more or less broadly acute, eglandular tomentose above, much less so beneath, margin 
entire or obscurely denticulate, 5-8 pairs of secondary veins in the opposite leaves, 
venation slightly sunken above and raised beneath in fresh material, tertiary venation 
inconspicuous. Inflorescences arising from the petiole, close to the axil, consisting of 
a main pedunculate inflorescence, which can be more or less compound, and a bud at 
its base, axes light green; peduncles sparsely glandular and eglandular hairy, 2-35 mm 
long; bracts paired, free, sessile or shortly petiolate, petiole predominantly glandular 
hairy, lamina with mixed glandular and eglandular hairs above and beneath, entire to 
wealdy serrate, ovate, 1 . 6 ^ 1 . 5 x 1 . 1-2.2 cm; pedicels sparsely hairy, mixed glandular 
and eglandular, predominantly glandular, 1-2.5 cm. Calyx light green to maroon, 
