3urn:lsid:arphahub.com:pub:F7FCE910-8E78-573F-9C77-7788555F8AADurn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:66878968-5FA3-48E4-A0CA-743FBBB0315DPhytoKeysPK1314-20111314-2003Pensoft Publishers10.3897/phytokeys.219.9651096510Research ArticleRanunculaceaeTaxonomyRanunculusmaoxianensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from northwestern Sichuan, China, with an emended description of R.chongzhouensis, the putative closest ally of the new speciesFeiWen-Qunhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9942-212012Data curationYuanQiongyuanqiong@scbg.ac.cnhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2613-504513ConceptualizationYangQin-Erhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6261-073113ValidationKey Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong, ChinaSouth China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChinaCenter of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong, ChinaCenter of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
2023010220232197796E85C6CDF-B92F-5E77-9A8C-633DC0E2A2FD1910202206012023Wen-Qun Fei, Qiong Yuan, Qin-Er YangThis is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Ranunculusmaoxianensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Jiuding Shan in Maoxian county, northwestern Sichuan province, China, is here illustrated and described. The species is morphologically similar to R.chongzhouensis, a species also occurring in Sichuan, in having reniform leaves and puberulous receptacles, carpels and achenes, but differs by having leaves adaxially puberulous with shorter appressed hairs 0.16‒0.28 mm long (vs. longer appressed hairs 0.55‒0.85 mm long), larger flowers (1.8‒2 cm vs. 1.4‒1.6 cm in diameter), larger (8‒10 × 5.5‒6.5 mm vs. 6‒7 × 4.5‒5 mm) and widely obovate petals (vs. obovate), more numerous stamens (35‒55 vs. 12‒18), and subglobose gynoecium and aggregate fruit (vs. ellipsoid). The two species are also different in chromosome number and chromosome morphology. Ranunculuschongzhouensis has a karyotype of 2n = 2x = 16 = 10m + 6sm while R.maoxianensis has a karyotype of 2n = 4x = 32 = 16m + 16sm. An emended description of R.chongzhouensis is provided, and its geographical distribution is largely extended.
Asiabuttercupschromosome numberRanunculus sect. Ranunculusthe National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaCitation
Fei W-Q, Yuan Q, Yang Q-E (2023) Ranunculus maoxianensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from northwestern Sichuan, China, with an emended description of R. chongzhouensis, the putative closest ally of the new species. PhytoKeys 219: 77–96. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.219.96510
Introduction
Ranunculus L., comprising approximately 600 species, is the largest genus in the Ranunculaceae and is widely distributed in all continents (Tamura 1995; Hörandl et al. 2005; Paun et al. 2005; Hörandl and Emadzade 2012). In China, one of the centers of species diversity in Ranunculus, more than 150 species and 30 varieties are currently recognized in the genus (Wang 1995a, b, 1996, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019a, b, 2022; Yang 2000; Wang and Gilbert 2001; Wang and Liao 2009; Luo and Zhao 2013; Wang and Chen 2015; Wang et al. 2016; Yuan and Yang 2017a, b, c; Zhang et al. 2020; Fei et al. 2022, 2023a, b). Many taxa in the genus occur in the Hengduan Mountains region in southwestern China, including mainly southeastern Gansu, eastern Qinghai, western Sichuan, southeastern Xizang (Tibet) and northwestern Yunnan, one of the most important biodiversity hotspots worldwide (Zhang et al. 2009; Sun et al. 2017). In total, 56 species and nine varieties of Ranunculus are known from that region (Wang 1993, 1995a, b, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2022; Yang 2000; Wang and Gilbert 2001; Wang and Liao 2009; Wang and Chen 2015; Yuan and Yang 2017c).
During a botanical expedition to the Hengduan Mountains region from June to August 2022 for the first author’s Ph.D. dissertation project, we discovered an unusual population (Figs 1, 2) of Ranunculus on Jiuding Shan in Maoxian county, northwestern Sichuan province, China. The plants are somewhat similar to R.chongzhouensis W.T. Wang (Figs 3–10), a species also occurring in Sichuan, in having reniform leaves and puberulous receptacles, carpels and achenes, but differ by an array of characters, such as the length of hairs on the adaxial side of leaf blades, size of flowers, size and shape of petals, number of stamens, and shape of the gynoecium and aggregate fruit. Moreover, our chromosomal examination revealed that the Maoxian population in question has a chromosome number of 2n = 16 (Fig. 11A), while R.chongzhouensis has a chromosome number of 2n = 32 (Fig. 11B). Therefore, we determined that this population represents a hitherto undescribed species, which we describe as R.maoxianensis below. Furthermore, we found that R.chongzhouensis, the putative closest ally of R.maoxianensis, is much more widely distributed than documented before and that its original description is not complete, lacking a description of root and floral characters, with the description of indumentum of leaf blades, receptacles and achenes being also incorrect. Based on our critical observations of herbarium specimens and living plants in the wild, the description of this species is here emended. We also largely extended its geographical distribution.
Materials and methods
For morphological comparison, we critically examined specimens or high-resolution specimen images of Ranunculus at CDBI, KUN, PE, and WCSBG (acronyms according to Thiers 2022). We also observed living plants in three populations of R.chongzhouensis from Sichuan and one population of the new species R.maoxianensis (Table 1) at flowering and fruiting time (June to July). We observed characters of roots, stems, leaves, pedicels, flowers, receptacles, petals, stamens, gynoecium, carpels, aggregate fruit and achenes, paying special attention to the indumentum of basal leaves, size of flowers, size and shape of petals, number of stamens, and the shape of gynoecium and aggregate fruit.
Information about three populations of Ranunculuschongzhouensis and one of R.maoxianensis sp. nov. observed in the wild. Populations with an asterisk were used for SEM observation of the leaf epidermis and chromosomal examination.
Taxon
Voucher
Locality
R.chongzhouensis
W.Q. Fei 915 (IBSC)
China, Sichuan, Chongzhou, Jiguan Shan
W.Q. Fei 577 (IBSC)*
China, Sichuan, Dayi, Xiling Xue Shan
W.Q. Fei & H.S. Wu 395 (IBSC)
China, Sichuan, Xiaojin, Siguniang Shan
R.maoxianensis
W.Q. Fei 565 (IBSC)*
China, Sichuan, Maoxian, Jiuding Shan
For scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dry leaves were taken from herbarium specimens (Table 1) and mounted directly onto stubs using double-sided sellotape, gold-coated, and then observed and photographed under a JSM-6360LV scanning electron microscope.
For chromosomal examination, living plants of Ranunculuschongzhouensis from Xiling Xue Shan in Dayi, Sichuan, and R.maoxianensis from its type locality, i.e., Jiuding Shan in Maoxian, Sichuan (Table 1), were cultivated in pots in the experimental garden of South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Root tips were pretreated in 0.1% colchicine for 2.5 h, fixed in Carnoy I (glacial acetic acid: absolute ethanol = 1: 3), then macerated in 1 M HCl at 37 °C for 45 min, and stained and squashed in Carbol fuchsin. Karyotype formulas were based on the data of measurements of mitotic-metaphase chromosomes of three cells taken from photographs. We followed the acronyms proposed by Levan et al. (1964) to describe the karyotypes.
Results and discussion
Our critical observations on herbarium specimens and living plants in the wild indicate that Ranunculusmaoxianensis (Figs 1, 2) is morphologically similar to R.chongzhouensis (Figs 3–10) in having reniform leaves and puberulous receptacles, carpels and achenes, but differs by having leaves adaxially puberulous with shorter appressed hairs 0.16‒0.28 mm long (vs. longer appressed hairs 0.55‒0.85 mm long) (Fig. 12A, C), larger flowers (1.8‒2.0 cm vs. 1.4‒1.6 cm in diameter), larger (8‒10 × 5.5‒6.5 mm vs. 6‒7 × 4.5‒5 mm) and widely obovate petals (vs. obovate), more numerous stamens (35‒55 vs. 12‒18), and subglobose gynoecium and aggregate fruit (vs. ellipsoid). The difference in the indumentum of leaves between the two species is further confirmed by our SEM results (Fig. 12B, D). A detailed morphological comparison between R.maoxianensis and R.chongzhouensis is given in Table 2.
Morphological comparison between Ranunculuschongzhouensis and R.maoxianensis sp. nov.
R.chongzhouensis
R.maoxianensis
Stems
10‒25 cm tall
25‒55 cm tall
Basal leaves
5‒8, blades 2.2‒3.1 × 3.1‒3.7 cm, chartaceous, adaxially appressed puberulous with hairs 0.55‒0.85 mm long, abaxially glabrous or sometimes appressed puberulous
2‒5, blades 2.2‒3.2 × 3.8‒5.2 cm, herbaceous, adaxially appressed puberulous with hairs 0.16‒0.28 mm long, abaxially appressed puberulous
Flowers
terminal, 4‒10, 1.4‒1.6 cm in diameter
terminal, 4‒10, 1.8‒2 cm in diameter
Receptacles
3‒5 mm long, clavate, puberulous
3.5‒4 mm long, clavate, puberulous
Petals
6‒7 × 4.5‒5 mm, obovate
8‒10 × 5.5‒6.5 mm, widely obovate
Stamens
12‒18
35‒55
Gynoecium
ellipsoid
subglobose
Carpels
20‒40; ovaries ovoid or widely ovoid puberulous, styles ca. 0.9 mm long, glabrous, slightly recurved at apex
16‒22; ovaries ovoid or widely ovoid, puberulous, styles ca. 0.9 mm long, glabrous, straight or apex recurved
Aggregate fruit
ellipsoid
subglobose
Achenes
ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, obliquely or widely ovoid, puberulous, styles ca. 1 mm long, straight or apex recurved.
ca. 2.5 × 2 mm, obliquely or widely ovoid, puberulous, styles ca. 1 mm long, straight or apex recurved.
Our chromosomal examination reveals that Ranunculusmaoxianensis is a diploid species with 2n = 2x = 16 = 10m + 6sm (Fig. 11A, C), while R.chongzhouensis is a tetraploid with 2n = 4x = 32 = 16m + 16sm (Fig. 11B, D). This result lends strong support to the description of R.maoxianensis as a new species.
Our literature consultation and critical observations on herbarium specimens and living plants in the wild reveal that Ranunculuschongzhouensis, the putative closest ally of R.maoxianensis, lacks the description of root and floral characters, with the description of indumentum of leaf blades, receptacles and achenes by Wang (2015) being also incorrect. Wang (2015) described this species based on a single specimen, Z.B. Feng, D.H. Zhu & X.J. Li 4171 (PE; Fig. 3A), from Jiguan Shan in the Anzihe Nature Reserve in Chongzhou city, Sichuan province, China. The three plants on the sheet are all fruiting, lacking roots and flowers. Therefore, the number of basal leaves and floral morphology were not mentioned in the original description of R.chongzhouensis. We traced two isotype sheets of R.chongzhouensis from WCSBG (Fig. 3B, C), which Wang (2015) did not see when he described this species as new. Wang (2015) described the basal leaves of R.chongzhouensis as adaxially glabrous and abaxially appressed puberulous, and the receptacles and achenes as glabrous. However, the basal leaves of this species are adaxially appressed puberulous (Fig. 3D, E) and abaxially glabrous (Fig. 3F, G), and the receptacles (Fig. 3H) and achenes (Fig. 3H, I) are puberulous. These results are further confirmed by our observations of living plants in three populations of R.chongzhouensis, respectively, from Chongzhou (type locality), Dayi, and Xiaojin, all in Sichuan province (Figs 4–9). In addition, we found that the indumentum on the abaxial side of the leaf blades of R.chongzhouensis is somewhat variable between populations. The leaf blades are often abaxially glabrous (Figs 4E, 6E), but sometimes abaxially puberulous (Fig. 8E).
From our survey of herbarium specimens and fieldwork, we found that Ranunculuschongzhouensis is much more widely distributed than reported by Wang (2015). In addition to its type locality, this species is also distributed in Baoxing, Dayi, Heishui, Luding, Songpan, and Xiaojin counties. Selected specimens from Baoxing (Fig. 10A), Heishui (Fig. 10B), Luding (Fig. 10C) and Songpan (Fig. 10D) are shown in Fig. 10.
Ranunculusmaoxianensis is readily assigned to R.sect.Ranunculus due to its swollen achenes with a distinct beak and receptacles hardly enlarged after anthesis. Wang (2015) also included R.chongzhouensis in this section. We accept the sectional placement of this species.
Ranunculusmaoxianensis is similar to R.chongzhouensis in leaf blade shape and indumentum of the receptacles, carpels and achenes. However, it is easily distinguishable by having leaves adaxially puberulous with shorter appressed hairs 0.16‒0.28 mm long (vs. longer appressed hairs 0.55‒0.85 mm long), larger flowers (1.8‒2 cm vs. 1.4‒1.6 cm in diameter), larger (8‒10 × 5.5‒6.5 mm vs. 6‒7 × 4.5‒5 mm) and widely obovate petals (vs. obovate), more numerous stamens (35‒55 vs. 12‒18), and subglobose gynoecium and aggregate fruit (vs. ellipsoid).
Type.
China. Sichuan: Maoxian, Nanxin town, Jiuding Shan, 31°30'36.28"N, 103°46'52.01"E, alt. 3274 m, in Rhododendron forests, 7 June 2022, W.Q. Fei 565 (holotype: IBSC; isotypes: CDBI, IBSC, PE).
Description.
Herb perennial, terrestrial. Roots fibrous, slender. Stems 25‒55 cm tall when in bloom, branched, erect, sparsely puberulous. Basal leaves 2‒5, long petiolate; petioles 7‒20 cm long, sparsely puberulous; blades 2.2‒3.2 × 3.8‒5.2 cm, reniform, 3-lobed or 3-partite, herbaceous, adaxially green, appressed puberulous with hairs 0.16‒0.28 mm long, abaxially light green, puberulous with hairs 0.65‒1.1 mm long, base truncate or cordate, central segment 1.2‒1.5 × 0.8‒1.2 cm, rhombic or rhombic-obovate, margin crenulate, lateral segments 1.5‒1.8 × 2‒2.6 cm, obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-partite, margin crenulate. Lower cauline leaves 1‒2, similar to basal ones but smaller. Upper cauline leaves 2‒4, subsessile or sessile, 3-sected, segments 1.5‒3 × 0.3‒0.8 mm, obtriangular, lanceolate or linear, entire or 3‒5-lobed. Inflorescences terminal, 4‒10-flowered. Flowers 1.8‒2 cm in diameter; pedicels 5‒10 cm long, appressed puberulous; receptacles 3.5‒4 mm long, clavate, puberulous; sepals 5, 4.6‒5 × 2‒3 mm, elliptic to obovate, green tinged with yellowish, adaxially glabrous, abaxially puberulous; petals 5(‒6), 8‒10 × 5.5‒6.5 mm, widely obovate, yellow, glabrous, apex rounded or subtruncate, nectary pit without a scale, claw ca. 0.6 mm long; stamens 35‒55, filaments 1.5‒2 mm long, narrowly linear, anthers 1‒1.2 mm long, oblong; gynoecium subglobose; carpels 16‒22, ovaries ca. 0.9 × 0.8 mm, ovoid or widely ovoid, laterally flattened, biconvex, puberulous, styles ca. 0.9 mm long, glabrous, straight or apex recurved. Aggregate fruit ca. 7 × 7 mm, subglobose; achenes ca. 2.5 × 2 mm, obliquely or widely ovoid, laterally flattened, biconvex, puberulous, styles ca. 1 mm long, persistent, glabrous, straight or apex recurved.
Etymology.
The specific epithet refers to the type locality of the new species, i.e. Maoxian county in northwestern Sichuan province, China.
Phenology.
Flowering from June to July; fruiting from July to August.
Distribution and habitat.
Ranunculusmaoxianensis is currently known only from its type locality, i.e., Jiuding Shan in Maoxian county, northwestern Sichuan province, China (Fig. 13). It grows in Rhododendron forests at altitudes of 3200‒3400 m above sea level.
Conservation status.
Although Ranunculusmaoxianensis is currently known only from its type locality, i.e., Jiuding Shan in Maoxian county, northwestern Sichuan province, China, our observations on living plants at its type locality revealed that this species is very common in Rhododendron forests at altitudes of 3200‒3400 m above sea level. It should better be categorized as “Least Concern (LC)”, following the IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee (IUCN 2022).
China. Sichuan: Chongzhou city, Anzihe Nature Reserve, Jiguan Shan, alt. 3000 m, in forests, 27 July 2007, Z.B. Feng, D.H. Zhu & X.J. Li 4171 (holotype: PE!; isotypes: WCSBG!).
Description.
Herbs perennial, terrestrial. Roots fibrous, slender. Stems 10‒25 cm tall, ascending or erect, branched, puberulous. Basal leaves 5‒8, 3-lobed or 3-partite, long petiolate; petioles 4‒10 cm long, sparsely puberulous; blades 2.2‒3.1 × 3.1‒3.7 cm, reniform, chartaceous, adaxially green, appressed puberulous with hairs 0.55‒0.85 mm long, abaxially light green, glabrous, sometimes puberulous, base cordate, central segment 0.6‒1 × 0.9‒1.4 cm, obtrapezoid or obovate-obtrapezoid, margin 3-crenulate, lateral segments 0.8‒1.2 × 1.5‒2.3 cm, obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-lobed, margin crenulate. Lower cauline leaves 1 or absent, similar to basal ones but smaller. Upper cauline leaves 2‒3, 3-sected, subsessile, segments 1.1‒1.5 × 0.3‒0.9 mm, obliquely flabellate, lanceolate to linear, margin entire or 3‒4-lobed. Inflorescences terminal, 4‒10-flowered. Flowers 1.4‒1.6 cm in diameter; pedicels 5‒10 cm long, appressed puberulous; receptacles 3‒5 mm long, clavate, puberulous; sepals 5, 3.9‒4.5 × 2.5‒3 mm, elliptic to obovate, green tinged with yellowish, adaxially glabrous, abaxially puberulous; petals 5(‒6), 6‒7 × 4.5‒5 mm, obovate, yellow, glabrous, apex truncate or subtruncate, nectary pit without a scale, claw ca. 0.5 mm long; stamens 12‒18, filaments ca. 2 mm long, narrowly linear, anthers ca. 1 mm long, oblong; gynoecium ellipsoid; carpels 20‒40, ovaries ca. 0.9 × 0.8 mm, ovoid or widely ovoid, laterally flattened, biconvex, puberulous, styles ca. 0.9 mm long, glabrous, apex slightly recurved. Aggregate fruit ca. 7 × 5 mm, ellipsoid; achenes ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, obliquely or widely ovoid, laterally flattened, biconvex, puberulous, styles ca. 1 mm long, persistent, straight or apex recurved.
Phenology.
Flowering from June to July; fruiting from July to August.
Distribution and habitat.
Ranunculuschongzhouensis is distributed in Baoxing, Chongzhou, Dayi, Heishui, Luding, Songpan, and Xiaojin in Sichuan province, China (Fig. 13). It grows in forests or meadows at elevations of 2900‒4150 m above sea level.
Ranunculusmaoxianensis sp. nov. in the wild (China, Sichuan, Maoxian) A habitat B habit C roots D portion of stem E leaf blade (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) F flower (lateral view) G flower (top view) H sepal (left: abaxial side; right: adaxial side) I petal (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) J stamens K carpels L aggregate fruit M achenes N receptacle. Photographed by Wen-Qun Fei.
Holotype (A) and isotype (B, C) sheets of Ranunculuschongzhouensis, showing the general morphology and indumentum of leaf blade (D–G), aggregate fruit (H, I) and receptacle (H) D, E portion of adaxial side of leaf blade (appressed puberulous with longer hairs) from A and B respectively E, G portion of abaxial side of leaf blade (glabrous) from A and B respectively H, I portion of aggregate fruit (puberulous) from A and C respectively H portion of the receptacle (puberulous) from A.
Ranunculuschongzhouensis in the wild (China, Sichuan, Chongzhou, the type locality) A habitat B habit C roots D portion of stem E leaf blade (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) F flower (lateral view) G flower (top view) H sepal (left: abaxial side; right: adaxial side) I petal (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) J stamens K carpels L aggregate fruit M achenes N receptacle. Photographed by Wen-Qun Fei.
Ranunculuschongzhouensis in the wild (China, Sichuan, Dayi) A habitat B habit C roots D portion of stem E leaf blade (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) F flower (lateral view) G flower (top view) H sepal (left: abaxial side; right: adaxial side) I petal (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) J stamens K carpels L aggregate fruit M achenes N receptacle. Photographed by Wen-Qun Fei.
Ranunculuschongzhouensis in the wild (China, Sichuan, Xiaojin) A habitat B habit C roots D portion of stem E leaf blade (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) F flower (lateral view) G flower (top view) H sepal (left: abaxial side; right: adaxial side) I petal (left: adaxial side; right: abaxial side) J stamens K carpels L aggregate fruit M achenes N receptacle. Photographed by Wen-Qun Fei.
Mitotic metaphase chromosomes (A, B) and karyotypes (C, D) of Ranunculusmaoxianensis sp. nov. (A, C) and R.chongzhouensis (B, D), with m = median-centromeric chromosome, sm = submedian-centromeric chromosome.
Portion of the adaxial side of the leaf blade of Ranunculuschongzhouensis (A, B) and R.maoxianensis sp. nov. (C, D), showing the difference in length of hairs. The hairs on the adaxial side of the leaf blade in R.chongzhouensis are 0.55‒0.85 mm long, and those in R.maoxianensis are 0.16‒0.28 mm long A, C photographed in the wild and B, D photographed with SEM.
Distribution of Ranunculuschongzhouensis (■) and R.maoxianensis (●). Black arrow indicates the type locality of R.chongzhouensis, i.e., Chongzhou city in Sichuan province, China.
We are grateful to one anonymous reviewer, Dr. Marco Pellegrini, and Dr. Liang Zhao, for their valuable comments on the manuscript. We thank the curators of CDBI, KUN, PE, and WCSBG for allowing us to use their scanned images of specimens and for research facilities. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 31870184, 31770218, and 31970210).
ReferencesFeiWQYuanQYangQE (2022) Ranunculushuainingensis and R.lujiangensis (Ranunculaceae), described from Anhui in China, are both synonymous with R.ternatus, a polymorphic eastern Asian species.573(1): 15–38. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.573.1.2FeiWQYuanQYangQE (2023a) Ranunculusjiguanshanicus (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Sichuan, China.219: 57–75. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.219.96266FeiWQYuanQYangQE (2023b) Ranunculusluanchuanensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Henan, China. PhytoKeys. (in press)HörandlEEmadzadeK (2012) Evolutionary classification: A case study on the diverse plant genus Ranunculus L. (Ranunculaceae).14(2): 310–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2012.04.001HörandlEPaunOJohanssonJTLehnebachCArmstrongTChenLLockhartP (2005) Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary traits in Ranunculus s.l. (Ranunculaceae) inferred from ITS sequence analysis.36(2): 305–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2005.02.009IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee (2022) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee. https://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdfLevanAFredgaKSandbergAA (1964) Nomenclature for centromeric position on chromosomes.52(2): 201–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1601-5223.1964.tb01953.xLuoMRZhaoL (2013) A new Ranunculus species (Ranunculaceae) from Shaanxi, China.20(2): 201–205. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v20i2.17394PaunOLehnebachCJohanssonJTLockhartPHörandlE (2005) Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of Ranunculus and allied genera (Ranunculaceae) in the Mediterranean region and in the European Alpine System.54(4): 911–930. https://doi.org/10.2307/25065478SunHZhangJWDengTBouffordDE (2017) Origins and evolution of plant diversity in the Hengduan Mountains, China.39(4): 161–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2017.09.004TamuraM (1995) Angiospermae. Ordnung Ranunculales. Fam. Ranunculaceae. II. Systematic Part. In: HiepkoP (Ed.) Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien (2nd edn., 223–519.ThiersB (2022) Index Herbariorum: A Global Directory of Public Herbaria and Associated Staff. http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ [accessed 2 December 2022]WangWT (1993) Ranunculus L. In: WangWT (Ed.) Vascular Plants of the Hengduan Mountains (Vol., 532–541.WangWT (1995a) A revision of the genus Ranunculus in China (I).15(2): 137–180.WangWT (1995b) A revision of the genus Ranunculus in China (II).15(3): 275–329.WangWT (1996) Notulae de Ranunculaceis Sinensibus (XIX).16(2): 155–166.WangWT (2007) Ranunculusailaoshanicus W. T. Wang, a new species of Ranunculaceae from Yunnan, China.45(3): 293–295. https://doi.org/10.1360/aps06192WangWT (2008) New taxa of Ranunculaceae from Yunnan. Acta Botanica Yunnanica.WangWT (2013) Six new species and two new varieties of Ranunculaceae from southwest China.33(5): 579–587.WangWT (2015) Five new species of Ranunculus from west China.35(5): 641–646.WangWT (2016) Six new species of Ranunculaceae from China.36(11): 1303–1311.WangWT (2018) Ranunculuslujiangensis, a new species of Ranunculaceae from Anhui Province.38(6): 801–803. https://doi.org/10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2018.06.001WangWT (2019a) Ranunculuskangmaensis W. T. Wang, a new species of Ranunculaceae from Tibet of China.39(3): 285–287. https://doi.org/10.11931/guihaia.gxzw201712013WangWT (2019b) Two new species of Ranunculus from Tibet, China.39(9): 1139–1342. https://doi.org/10.11931/guihaia.gxzw201811047WangWT (2022) Five new species and one new variety of Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) from Sichuan, with one new section represented by one of these species.42(1): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.11931/guihaia.gxzw202011047WangWTChenSR (2015) Ranunculuslaohegouensis, a new species of Ranunculaceae from Sichuan.38(6): 801–802. https://doi.org/10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2015.06.001WangWTGilbertMG (2001) Ranunculus Linnaeus. In: WuZYRavenPHHongDY (Eds) Flora of China (Vol., 391–431.WangWTLiaoL (2009) Ranunculusnapahaiensis, a new species of Ranunculaceae from Yunnan, China.29(4): 427–429.WangWTYangZXieJ (2016) Ranunculushuainingensis, a new species of Ranunculaceae from Anhui. Guihaia 36(supplement 1): 97–99.YangQE (2000) Ranunculuswangianus Q. E. Yang, a new species from NW Yunnan, China and its karyotype.38(6): 551–556.YuanQYangQE (2017a) Ranunculusangustisepalus (Ranunculaceae) is an Oxygraphis and conspecific with O.delavayi.319(1): 103–110. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.319.1.6YuanQYangQE (2017b) The identity of Ranunculusailaoshanicus (Ranunculaceae) from China.319(1): 111–117. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.319.1.7YuanQYangQE (2017c) The identity of Ranunculuslaohegouensis (Ranunculaceae) from Sichuan, China.324(2): 198–200. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.324.2.9ZhangDCZhangYHBouffordDESunH (2009) Elevational patterns of species richness and endemism for some important taxa in the Hengduan Mountains, southwestern China.18(3): 699–716. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9534-xZhangMZengYPYangQE (2020) Ranunculuskangmaensis (Ranunculaceae), a new synonym of Halerpestestricuspisvar.variifolia.434(1): 101–112. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.434.1.7