A new species Rosa funingensis and its variant R. funingensis f. rosea, both collected from Yunnan Province, China, are, for the first time, documented and illustrated in this study. Morphological analysis in comparison with two related species in the wild, R. gigantea and R. rubus, presents distinguishable features through leaf surfaces, inflorescences and the shape of styles. R. funingensis leaf surfaces are abaxially villous, purple-red, pale green when mature, adaxially glabrous, dark green; inflorescences solitary or 2–5(7) in corymbose cyme; and styles connate into a column or not, exserted.

molecular evidence, morphology, new species, Rosa, wild germplasm

There are about 150–200 species of roses around the world, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, with Central and Southwest Asia being the centres of distribution of the genus (Rehder 1951; Ku and Robertson 2003; Quest-Ritson and Quest-Ritson 2003). China has 95 species of the genus Rosa, of which 65 species are endemic (Ku and Robertson 2003); there are also 34 varieties, totalling 129 taxa of roses (Liu and Lian 2014). The number of wild rose species in China are found to decrease gradually from the southeast to the southwest and northwest of the country (Yu and Lu 1985). Yunnan is one of the main distribution centres and differentiation centres of Rosa (Xu 2001), with 41 species and 17 varieties of wild Rosa (Chen and Li 2006).

On 5 April 2018, a unique species of Rosa was discovered during an investigation of wild rose resources in Funing County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. It shared certain morphological characteristics with R. gigantea and R. rubus, while being distinguished in terms of leaf, inflorescence and shape of styles. Subsequently, this species was introduced to the Kunming South Tropical Garden (Kunming Nanguo Shanhua) Horticulture Technology Co. Ltd., Yunnan Province for further observation and study. After a thorough examination over a period of three years, it was determined that the specific morphological characteristics of this species and its variant were stable, indicating that they were, indeed, new to the Rosa genus. In 2021, phylogenetic relationships were analysed after collecting the specimens to confirm their status as a new species within the genus Rosa. As a result of this research, the new species was described and named as Rosa funingensis L. Luo & Y. Y. Yang. Additionally, a form of this new species was identified and documented as Rosa funingensis L. Luo & Y. Y. Yang f. rosea L. Luo & Y. Y. Yang, characterised by its light salmon-pink flowers that fade to white.

Rosa funingensis is often in association with R. rubus and R. gigantea in the wild where there are no other members of the genus Rosa present. The overlap of the flowering period of R. rubus (late March to late April) and R. gigantea (March) generates the possibility of natural hybridisation to produce offspring.

Morphologically, Rosa funingensis shares similarities with both R. rubus and R. gigantea, but it is not exactly the same as either one, which provides further evidence that R. funingensis may be a natural hybrid. The molecular evolutionary tree also supports this inference.

The discovery of this new species enriches the resources of Rosa and provides new materials for interspecific hybridisation. Hybridisation between sections has been a great challenge in rose breeding, making wild Rosa resources not sufficiently exploited (Zhao et al. 2015). The hybridised experiment during 2020–2022 between R. funingensis and the wild species of sect. chinenses shows that it is, indeed, a good breeding material. The inclusion of R. funingensis as a new germplasm resource for breeding between sect. chinenses and sect. synstylae has the potential to enhance the genetic diversity and improve the breeding outcomes of the genus Rosa.

Additionally, during our field research, we also found plants that are similar to R. funingensis, but with smaller leaflets (7–9); stipule margin covered with sparsely glandular hairs; flowers showing light salmon-pink at the beginning and turning white at the later stage; hip obovoid. We speculate that these plants may be a form of R. funingensis, with an increased number of leaflets and this is currently under observation.

Taxonomic treatment

 Rosa funingensis L. Luo & Y.Y. Yang, sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77322791-1

Figs 2, 3, 4

Type

China, Muyang Town, Funing County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 23°25′27″N, 105°21′15″E, 1396 m a.s.l., 31 March 2021, Y. Y. Yang (Holotype BJFC00107680!).

Figure 2. 

Specimens of Rosa funingensis and R. funingensis f. rosea A R. funingensis B R. funingensis var. rosea.

Diagnosis

Rosa funingensis is mostly similar to R. gigantea. However, Rosa funingensis differs significantly from R. gigantea by having leaves abaxially villous, purple-red, pale green when mature, adaxially glabrous, dark green (vs. both surfaces glabrous), rachis and petiole shortly prickly, glandular hairs and villous (vs. sparsely shortly prickly and glandular pubescent), inflorescences solitary or 3–5(7) in corymbose cyme (vs. solitary or 2 or 3 and fasciculate) and styles connate into a column or not (vs. free) (Table 1).

Table 1.

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Morphological comparisons of Rosa funingensis, R. gigantea and R. rubus.

	R. funingensis	R. gigantea	R. rubus
Leaflet number	5–7	5–9	3–5
Branch	glabrous	glabrous	pubescent when young, glabrous when old
Leaf surface	abaxially pubescent, adaxially glabrous	both surfaces glabrous	abaxially pubescent or glandular, adaxially usually glabrous, rarely pubescent
Rachis and petiole	shortly prickly, glandular hairy and pubescent	sparsely shortly prickly and glandular	pubescent with sparse small curved prickles
Stipule margin	pubescent and glandular	glabrous, or glandular only at free parts	pubescent and glandular
Inflorescence	solitary or 2–5(7) in cyme	solitary	10–25 in cyme
Pedicel	glandular	glabrous or glandular	pubescent and glandular
Flower size (diameter)	7–9 cm	8–9 cm	4–5 cm
Styles	connate into a column or not	free	connate into a column
Hip colour and size (diameter)	yellow, 1.2–1.5 cm	yellow, 2.5–2.8 cm	red, 1.0–1.5 cm

Description

Rosa funingensis : Shrubs climbing, new branches 5–6 m long. Branchlets green, young stems purple-red on sunny side, glabrate; prickles scattered, slightly curved, robust, flat, gradually tapering to broad base. Leaflets including petiole 12–14 cm; stipules mostly adnate to petiole, free parts lanceolate, villous or with short dentate glands at margin, apex acuminate, dry and shrinking when old; rachis and petiole shortly prickly, glandular hairs and villous hairs. Leaves usually 5–7, often 3 near inflorescence, leaflets obovate or oblong, 3–4 × 2–2.5 cm, apex acuminate, leaves leathery, adaxially glabrous, dark green, abaxially villous, purple-red, pale green when mature, margin with sharp single serrations. Inflorescences solitary or several in cyme; peduncle with pedicels 1–2 cm, densely glandular hairs; bracts linear, apex acuminate, 1 × 0.3 cm, margin glandular hairy, with prominent mid-vein. Flowers 7–9 cm in diam.; sepals 5, ovate-lanceolate, abaxially glandular-pubescent, apically caudate, adaxially villous, margin glandular hairs, occasionally linearly divided, reflexed; petals 5, single, white, nearly cordate, apex emarginate, with strong sweet fragrance. Styles connate into a column or not, exserted, light red and the stigma is light yellow. Hips yellow, subglobose, 1.2–1.5 cm in diam., glabrous. 2n = 14.

Phenology

Flowering in early April, fruiting from July to October.

Etymology

The species epithet refers to Funing County, where the new species was first discovered. The variant with pink flower colour is proposed to be named “Rosa funingensis f. rosea”.

Distribution and habitat

New species are currently known from Funing County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in eastern Yunnan, at elevations between 400 m and 1400 m. They grow on hillsides, roadsides and riversides.

Conservation status

Based on currently available data, the newly-described Rosa funingensis species and its variants should be assigned to the ‘Data Deficient’ (DD) category of IUCN (2022). The precise conservation status of the population(s) has not been determined. Further explorations are needed to assess its distribution and conservation status. The known distribution of this species is limited. The type locality of this new species is an unprotected mountainous area. Increasing human activities and habitat destruction may cause a threat to the existence of this rare species.

 Rosa funingensis L. Luo & Y.Y. Yang f. rosea L. Luo & Y.Y. Yang, f. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77322792-1

Figs 2, 3, 4

Type

China, Muyang Town, Funing County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 1396 m a.s.l., 23°25′27″N, 105°21′15″E, 31 March 2021, Y. Y. Yang (Holotype BJFC00107675!)

Figure 3. 

Rosa funingensis and R. funingensis f. rosea A plant B leaves C stipule D branches and prickles E, F two different Inflorescences G, H two different styles I–K flowering process of R. funingensis L–N flowering process of R. funingensis f. rosea O, P hips.

Description

Rosa funingensis f. rosea: Flowers light salmon-pink and fading to white.

Figure 4. 

Illustration of Rosa funingensis and Rosa funingensis f. rosea A whole plant B floral anatomy C hip D flowers of R. funingensis E stipule F flowers of R. funingensis f. rosea. Drawn by Y. W. Tang.

Etymology

The variant with pink flower colour is proposed to be named “Rosa funingensis f. rosea”.

We are grateful to Tong Deng (Beijing Forestry University) and Heling Fu (Beijing Forestry University) for their valuable comments.