A revision of Microchirita in Thailand 
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18. Microchirita mollissima (Ridl.) A.Weber & D.J.Middleton, Taxon 60: 778 (2011). 
- Chirita mollissima Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 32: 517 (1896); Barnett, FI. Siam. 3: 
226 (1962); Wood, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 33: 188 (1974); Burtt, Thai 
Forest Bull., Bot. 29: 88 (2001). - TYPE: Siam [Thailand], Pungah [Phangnga], July 
1893, Curtis 2944 (lectotype SING [SING0117733] designated by Wood (1974: 188), 
isolectotypeK [K000450489], SING [SING0117731] [SING0117732] [SING0117734] 
[SING0117735]). (Fig. 12A-C) 
Notes. Microchirita mollissima is easily recognised by its elongated and sessile 
or subsessile leaves with a dense white indumentum, and by the nearly axillary 
inflorescences. Three varieties can be distinguished in Thailand. 
Key to the varieties of Microchirita mollissima 
la. Anthers hairy, with a small projection at the filament insertion.2 
lb. Anthers glabrous, without a projection at the filament insertion. 
.18b. M. mollissima var. glabra 
2a. Leaves, calyx and corolla with eglandular indumentum only. 
. 18a . M. mollissima var. mollissima 
2b. Leaves, calyx and corolla with glandular indumentum. 
. 18c. M. mollissima var. glandulophylla 
18a. Microchirita mollissima var. mollissima 
Caulescent perennial herb to 50 cm tall with elongated stem runners, internodes to c. 
2 cm. Stems not fleshy, densely hairy. Leaves opposite, condensed at the stem apex; 
petioles inconspicuous or to 2.5 cm long, densely eglandular hairy; blades pale to 
dark green above with silvery white soft hairs, grey-green, flushed purple beneath, 
lanceolate, 3.5-28 x 0.7-9 cm, 2.2-7.2 times as long as wide, base acute to attenuate, 
often unequal, apex acute to acuminate, densely eglandular tomentose above and 
beneath, margin entire to irregularly denticulate, 6-14 pairs of secondary veins 
in the opposite leaves, venation slightly sunken above and raised beneath in fresh 
material, tertiary venation inconspicuous. Inflorescences cristate, peduncles 10-60 
mm, not fused to each other, densely eglandular hairy, the first inflorescence is rarely 
compound and bracteate. Calyx green, tube c. 0.3 mm long, lobes lanceolate, 5-14 x 
1.5^1 mm, apex acute, eglandular hairy on both sides, with additional sparse, minute 
glands inside. Corolla 18-33 mm long, blue, pale blue, purple, pink or white, tube 
creamy white or greenish white, lobes very pale lilac, dorsal fringe of yellow/orange 
glandular, papillose hairs inside, narrow at base (7-11 mm, c. 2.2 mm diameter), then 
slightly curved downwards and gradually broadening, lobes not reflexed, eglandular 
pubescent outside except at base, especially dorsally between the upper lobes and 
ventrally below the central lobe; tube 14-26 mm long dorsally, 20-36 mm ventrally, 
