Corresponding author: Xin-Xiang Bai (
Academic editor: L.J. Dorr
Ren L-Y, Chen Y, Yuan T-H, Huang R-X, Li M-J, Bai X-X (2022)
The genus
The material for this study was mainly collected from the survey of wild ornamental plant resources in Guizhou Province, China. The morphological description of the new species was based on careful examination of fresh material in the field and herbarium specimens. Comparisons with other species were made to virtual herbarium specimens (GZAC, HC, HIB, IBK, IBSC and PE), photographs and literature (
China. Guizhou: Hezhang County, Xingfa Town, Dajiucaiping, 2763 m alt.,
Perennial herb, 30–60 cm high, densely pilose. Root-system developed, with adventitious roots on lower stem nodes. Stem fleshy, erect, branched. Leaves simple, alternate, aggregated at stem apex; petiole 0.3–0.8 cm long; leaf blade elliptic, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 3.5–5 cm × 1.3–1.8 cm, base cuneate, with a pair of conical glands, margin serrulate, apex acuminate, adaxial surface densely pilose, green; abaxial surface pilose along veins, pale green, lateral veins 6–8 pairs. Inflorescences axillary, 2- or 3-flowered. Peduncles 1.5–1.8 cm long, pedicels 0.4–0.8 cm long, slender, bracteate above middle; bract 1, persistent, linear-lanceolate, 0.3–0.5 cm long, abaxial mid-vein thickened, margin membranous, ciliate.
Flowers deep purplish-red, 2.3–2.5 cm long. Lateral sepals 2, ovate, ca. 0.5 cm × 0.2 cm, margin ciliate, mid-vein carinate, apex acuminate or caudate. Lower sepal navicular, ca. 0.5 cm deep (excluding spur), mouth vertical, ca. 0.8 cm wide, narrowed into an incurved, long spur, ca. 2 cm, apex 2-lobed. Dorsal petal reniform, ca. 0.8 cm × 1.5 cm, base truncate or suborbicular, apex concave, abaxial mid-vein carinate, apex acuminate. Lateral united petals sessile, ca. 1.7 cm long, deep purplish-red with whitish-pink base and reddish patches near auricle, 2-lobed; basal lobes ca. 0.4 cm × 0.2 cm, oblong to obovate-oblong; distal lobes ca. 1 cm × 0.6 cm, dolabriform. Stamens 5, filaments linear, anther apices obtuse; ovary 5-carpellate, narrowly fusiform, 0.4–0.5 cm, erect. Capsule fusiform, 1.3–1.8 cm long, apex acuminate, 5-valved, fleshy. Seed ellipsoid, surface with irregular protrusions.
The specific epithet ‘bijieensis’ refers to the type locality where the new species was found, located in Bijie City, northwest Guizhou Province, China. The Chinese name is given as “毕节凤仙花”.
Flowers and fruits from August to October.
This species is currently known only from Bijie City, Guizhou Province, China with two subpopulations. The Extent of Occurrence (
Comparison of morphological characters in
Character |
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Length of petiole | 0.3–0.8 cm | 1.5–2.0 cm | 1–3 cm | 0.5–1.5 cm |
Leaf blade | with a pair of conical glands at base, base cuneate, margin serrulate, adaxial surface densely pilose, abaxial surface pilose along veins | with 2 globose basal glands, base cuneate, margin crenate, both surfaces glabrous | base acute, margin coarsely crenate or crenate-serrate, both surfaces hirsute | with few basal glands, base narrowly cuneate, margin serrulate, both surfaces glabrous |
Bract | bracteate above middle, linear-lanceolate | bract above middle; lanceolate | bracteate below flower; lanceolate | bracteate above middle; lanceolate |
Flower | deep purplish-red | pale purple or purple-red | yellow or white | purple-red |
Lateral sepal | 2, ovate, margin ciliate, mid-vein carinate, apex acuminate or caudate | 2, ovate, margin sometimes denticulate at one side, abaxial mid-vein narrowly carinate, apex acuminate | 2 (or 4), subovate, hirsute, apex cuspidate | 2, subovate, long cuspidate, inequilateral, hyaline margined, denticulate on one side |
Lower sepal | navicular, narrowed into an incurved, long spur, spur apex 2-lobed | narrowly funnelform, narrowed into an incurved, slender spur | broadly funnelform, gradually narrowed into an incurved spur | navicular, narrowed into an incurved, long spur |
Dorsal petal | reniform, base truncate or suborbicular, apex concave, abaxial mid-vein carinate | orbicular, base cordate, apex slightly emarginate, shortly rostellate, abaxial mid-vein thickened, entire or undulate | orbicular, base cordate, apex obtuse, abaxial mid-vein thickened, cristate apically | orbicular, base unknown, apex rostellate, abaxial mid-vein carinate |
Basal lobes | oblong to obovate-oblong | oblong | small or rudimentary | orbicular, small |
Distal lobes | dolabriform | broadly dolabriform, larger | broadly dolabriform or sublunar | obovate-oblong |
Anther apex | obtuse | acute | obtuse | obtuse |
Capsule | cylindrical | linear | linear | linear |
Elevation | 1915–2800 m | 1500–1700 m | 1700–2700 m | 1200–2000 m |
The morphological characters, including perennial habit, racemose inflorescence, 5-carpellate ovary, cylindrical capsule and ellipsoidal seeds, indicate that
This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31960328) and Survey of Wild Ornamental Plant Resources in Guizhou Province (701256192201).