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Cheilotheca sp., collected from Hsiao-Chu Peak, Huisun
Experimental Forest,are identified as Cheilotheca humilis
humilis (Don)Keng and Cheilotheca humilisvar. glaberrima (Hara)
Keng & Hsieh, according to Flora of Taiwan. The roots of
the two plants are perennial. Buds covered by litters
areobserved on the roots all year round and, at the place
covered with fewer fallen leaves, buds are emerged aboveground
through the winter. However, the shoots wither after its
flowering and fruitage. The differences of morphology and
floral phenology between the two plantsare: The petals and
filaments of C. humilis humilis are pubescent; whole plant
white to purplish and blooms from March to June; petals 3,
filaments 8-10 or more, stigma grayish blue, parietal
placentation with 10 or more cleavages. C. humilis var.
glaberrima is glabrous, white, blooms from January to April;
petals 5, filaments 10 , stigma yellowish, and pariet
alplacentation with 5 cleavages. Cheilotheca humilis
humilis and C. humilis var. glaberrima are distributed in
broad-leaf forest or broad-leaf / coniferous forest in the
Hsiao-Chu Peak at elevation of 1000-1580 m. Soil of the
habitat is slightly acidic to neutral. The floral phenology is
related to the rainfall, temperature, or the altitude.
In this study, brown branched ectendomycorrhizae have been
observed in both plants. Based on the SEM observations, surface
of Cheilotheca mycorrhizae is hairy with fungal hyphae, during
the stages of bud to blooming.Fungal hyphae on the surface
become de of nutrients with the plants, or other mechanism of
the plant cell against the invasion of the mycorrhizal fungi.
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