Corresponding author: Young-Dong Kim (
Academic editor: Doug Soltis
This study describes and illustrates
Kim Y-I, Cho S-H, Lee J-H, Kang D-H, Park JH, Kim Y-D (2018)
During a floristic survey of Mt. Seonjaryeong, located in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea in August of 2014, we collected a species of
Photographs of the habit and macro-morphological characters were taken in the field. Morphological observations and measurements of the new species, based on living and dry plant specimens and preserved materials, were carried out. All morphological characters were observed and photographed with a Zeiss Stemi SV 11 Apo stereoscopic microscope and a Zeiss AxioCam MRc 5 microscope camera. Seed coat characters were revealed by a Hitachi S-3400N scanning electronic microscope.
Upper surface of sterile branch leaves of
Sterile branch outline of
SOUTH KOREA. Gangwon-do: along a stream near a hiking trail to Guksa Seonghwangsa (temple), Mt. Seonjaryeong, Hoenggye-ri, Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun,
Small, tender, hermaphroditic. Roots fibrous. Flowering stem erect, 2–6 cm long, pilose, light green or reddish to purple, with 2–5 sterile branches arising from base; sterile branches creeping after fruiting, elongated over 30 cm, 2 or more times branched at axils, densely pilose. Leaves opposite, basal and cauline, simple, estipulate, petiolate. Basal leaves 1 or 2 pairs, withered before flowering. Leaves on flowering stem, 1 pair, attached at 1/2 or below of the stem; petioles 1–5 mm, pilose; blade 2–5 × 2–8 mm, flabelliform, apex subtruncate to rounded, base attenuate, margins obscurely undulate to crenate or distinctly obtusely dentate (3–6 teeth), translucent white or brown ciliate, both surfaces glabrous. Leaves on sterile branches with long internode (to 8 cm at fruiting); petioles 2–12 mm, pilose; blade to 2 × 2.5 cm, suborbicular or widely ovate (upper ones), flabellate (lower ones), apex rounded, base cuneate, margins crenate with 5–10 flat obscure teeth on each side, translucent white or brown ciliate, upper surface glabrous, densely silvery dotted, pale green, lower surface pilose on veins, greenish-grey. Inflorescence 4- to 9-flowered cyme, surrounded by leaf-like bracts; pedicels ca. 1 mm, sparsely pilose. Bracteal leaves yellowish-green during flowering, turning to light green or green after fruiting; petioles 1–3 mm, pilose; blades 2–6 × 2–10 mm, obdeltoid, upper surface glabrous, densely silvery dotted, lower surface glabrous, greenish-grey, margins obscurely undulate to crenate or distinctly obtusely dentate, 2–5 teeth, translucent white or brown ciliate, obtuse to subtruncate at apex, base narrowly cuneate to cuneate. Flowers tetramerous; sepals 4, free, petaloid, 1 pair overlapping the other in bud, erect, yellow, widely ovate to widely subelliptic, ca. 2.5–3 × ca. 2 mm, glabrous, 3-veined, persistent, apex obtuse to truncate, slightly recurved; petals absent; stamens 8, in 2 section, ca. 1.3 mm, shorter than sepal; filaments filiform, 0.8–0.9 mm long; anthers yellow, 2-locular, 0.45–0.5 mm long, longitudinally dehiscent; pistil 2-carpellate, semi-inferior, ovary 1-locular, ovules at 2 parietal placentae, styles 2, free, ca. 1 mm long, stigma round, disc absent. Fruit capsule, pale green, glabrous, ca. 5.5 mm long, 2-lobed (horn shaped), lobes dehiscent along adaxial suture, slightly unequal; seeds numerous, dark brown, ellipsoid, with a carina on one side, thick-walled, 0.8–1.0 × 0.65–0.75 mm, with hemispheroidal tubercles, tubercles ca. 15 μm in diameter, seed surface covered with minute deciduous papillae.
The specific epithet of the new species refers to the highly branched sterile branches after fruiting.
SOUTH KOREA. Gangwon-do: Mt. Seonjaryeong, Hoenggye-ri, Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun,
1 | Sepals white. Anthers dark red |
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– | Sepals yellow or greenish. Anthers yellow |
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2 | Stamens longer than or equal to sepals. Ovary superior. Seeds tuberculate |
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– | Stamens shorter than sepals. Ovary subsuperior. Seeds smooth |
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3 | Sterile branches often hypogeous, filiform, with bulbil at top |
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– | Sterile branches epigeous without bulbil |
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4 | Seeds without tubercules |
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– | Seeds with tubercules |
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5 | Leaves of sterile branches congested at distal end, with white variegated veins on upper surface |
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– | Leaves of sterile branches distantly arranged, with silvery dotted upper surface |
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6 | Seed tubercles arranged without or on inconspicuous longitudinal ridges |
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– | Seed tubercles arranged on prominent longitudinal ridges |
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7 | Leaves of sterile branches densely ciliate |
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– | Leaves of sterile branches rarely ciliate |
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8 | Sterile branches highly (more than two times) branched, ca. 30 cm long after fruiting. Leaves of sterile branches with silvery dots, upper surface glabrous. Bracteal leaves yellowish-green |
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– | Sterile branches unbranched, less than 15 cm long after fruiting. Leaves of sterile branches without silvery dots, upper surface pilose. Bracteal leaves bright yellow |
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9 | Basal leaves persistent after flowering |
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– | Basal leaves withered before flowering |
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10 | Sepals yellow. Stamens shorter than sepals |
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– | Sepals light green. Stamens equal to or longer than sepals |
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11 | Stamens equal to or slightly longer than sepals. Ovary 1/2 or 1/3 inferior |
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– | Stamens longer than sepals. Ovary 1/4 inferior or nearly superior |
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12 | Leaves of sterile branches distantly arranged after fruiting. Bracteal leaves golden yellow, yellowish-green or green at flowering |
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– | Leaves of sterile branches congested at distal end after fruiting. Bracteal leaves green |
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13 | Leaves of sterile branches pilose. Bracteal leaves golden yellow at flowering |
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– | Leaves of sterile branches glabrous. Bracteal leaves yellowish-green to green at flowering |
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14 | Seeds ca. 720 × 640 μm, with ca. 18 ridges, densely papillate |
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– | Seeds ca. 640 × 510 μm, with ca. 16 ridges, sparsely papillate |
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It is noteworthy that
Comparison of the key features of
Character |
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Sterile branches after fruiting | branched more than two times, ca. 30 cm long | unbranched or rarely branched, > 15 cm long |
Size of sterile branch leaf blades after fruiting | up to 2 × 2.5 cm | up to 2.5 × 2.6 cm |
Upper surface of sterile branch leaves | silvery dotted, glabrous | silvery dots absent, pilose |
Bracteal leaves during flowering | Yellowish-green | bright yellow |
Seed surfaces | tubercles ca. 15 μm in diam. | tubercles ca. 10 μm in diam. |
It appears that
We thank Ms. Hye-Woo Shin (