Research Article |
Corresponding author: Qi-Fei Ren ( renqifei1985_2006@126.com ) Academic editor: Alan Paton
© 2024 Sheng-Hu Tang, Ming-Zhu Ou, Qi-Fei Ren, Jia-Wen Yang.
This 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.
Citation:
Tang S-H, Ou M-Z, Ren Q-F, Yang J-W (2024) Petrocodon liboensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Guizhou, China. PhytoKeys 243: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.243.125716
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Petrocodon liboensis Sheng H.Tang & Jia W.Yang is a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guizhou, southwestern China. The new taxon has a pale-yellow corolla and is most similar to P. luteoflorus. However, it differs from the latter by having a urceolate (vs. cannulate) corolla tube, an abaxial corolla lip 0.8–1.1 mm (vs. 2–2.2 mm) long, and filaments 1.5–1.7 mm (vs. ca. 7 mm) long that are straight (vs. S-shaped or geniculate near the middle). The new taxon is assessed as “Data Deficient” (DD) according to the IUCN standards.
Didymocarpoideae, flora of China, Guizhou, karst flora, new taxon
The genus Petrocodon Hance belongs to the family Gesneriaceae and subfamily Didymocarpoideae (
During a field survey conducted in early July 2020 in Libo County, Guizhou Province, China, a population belonging to the genus Petrocodon (Gesneriaceae) was identified. Live plants with flower buds were cultivated in the Guizhou Botanical Garden. In late July 2020, they bloomed with pale-yellow flowers and for the first time, a corolla with straight filaments was observed. As the newly published species, viz., P. luteoflorus Lei Cai & F. Wen (
In April 2017, live plants of P. luteoflorus (published in 2020) were introduced from Limingguan town, Libo County, which is its type locality, and bloomed in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, they perished due to inadequate care. Fortunately, we had already meticulously photographed the blossoms in 2017. In September 2022, we photographed the flowers at their original location with great care. The flowers of both cultivated and wild plants were indistinguishable. In November 2022, a second population without flowers was found in Yongkang Town, Libo County, and the shape and size of the leaf blades were the same as those of the plants from its type locality. Therefore, the leaf blade characteristics were stable.
The misidentified plants have stable characteristics different from P. luteoflorus, e.g., urceolate (vs. cannulate) corolla tube, abaxial corolla lip 0.8–1.1 mm (vs. 2–2.2 mm) long, and filaments straight (vs. S-shaped or geniculate near middle). Therefore, we conclude that the plants represent a new species.
One corolla was observed in 2020, and approximately 15 corollas of cultivated plants and 30 corollas of wild plants were observed in 2022. All observed corollas were pale-yellow and contained urceolate corolla tubes and straight filaments. Ten flowers in the field and ten flowers of cultivated plants were measured. A microscope (Olympus SZ61; Tokyo, Japan) was used for microscopic observations. The plants were described according to the terminology used by
The new taxon has a nearly actinomorphic corolla and one nearly globose stigma. This combination of characters is shared by eight species and one variety of Petrocodon. The new taxon closely resembles P. luteoflorus (Fig.
Petrocodon liboensis A habitat B, C flowering plant D adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaf blade E cymes, and bracts (inset) F flower in front view G flower in side view H, I opened corolla J stamens, and anthers (inset) K pistil, and cross section of ovary (inset) L capsules, and seeds (inset) (Photographs by Sheng-Hu Tang).
Petrocodon luteoflorus A habitat B flowering plant C adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaf blade D cymes, and bracts (inset) E flower in front view F flower in side view G calyx segments H opened corolla I stamens J pistil, and cross section of ovary (inset) K capsules L seeds (Photographs by Sheng-Hu Tang).
China. Guizhou Province: Libo County, Daqikong Scenic Spot, 25°16'N, 107°45'E, ca. 450 m elev., September 1, 2022, Sheng-Hu Tang 202209001 (holotype: CSH! CSH0192992; isotype: the Guizhou Botanical Garden!)
Herbs, perennial, stemless. Rhizome terete, 5–55 mm long, 3.9–6.5 mm in diameter. Leaves 8–30, basal or crowded at rhizome apex; petiole 8.2–32 mm long, 0.9–1.8 mm in diameter, short strigose; leaf blade lanceolate or oblong, 26.4–82 × 11.3–19 mm, chartaceous, adaxially sparsely short strigose, abaxially densely short strigose along veins, base cuneate or broadly cuneate, margin entire to dentate or slightly repand, apex acute; lateral veins 2–3 on each side of midrib, adaxially inconspicuous or slightly impressed, abaxially slightly prominent. Cymes 1–4, axillary, 2–7 flowers per cyme; peduncle 35.8–59.2 mm long, 0.9–1 mm in diameter, densely short strigose; bracts 3, free, margin slightly crenulate, outside short strigose, inside sparsely short strigose, central one linear-lanceolate, 4.2–4.5 × 0.6–0.8 mm, lateral ones oblanceolate, 5.9–7.3 × 1.3–2 mm; bracteoles 3, same indumentum and shape as bracts, and slightly smaller than bracts in size, 2.5–3 × 0.9–1.2 mm. Pedicel 2.8–9.3 mm long, 0.3–0.4 mm in diameter, densely short strigose. Calyx nearly actinomorphic, 5-parted from base; segments equal or subequal, 2.1–3.7 × 0.5–0.6 mm, linear, both outside and inside short strigose, margin entire. Corolla pale-yellow, 5.3–8 mm long, outside puberulent, inside glabrous, 5-parted to 1/5, segments slightly converged; tube urceolate, 4.5–6.9 mm long, 2.1–3 mm in diameter at base, 1.7–2.1 mm in diameter at mouth; limb indistinctly 2-lipped, adaxial lip 2-parted from base, segments triangular, equal, 0.5–0.8 × 0.9–1.2 mm, abaxial lip 3-parted from base, segments triangular, subequal, 0.8–1.1 × 1.5–1.7 mm. Stamens 2, adnate to abaxial side of corolla tube 2.8–3.1 mm above base, included; filaments 1.5–1.7 mm long, ca. 0.2 mm in diameter, straight, glabrous; anthers dorsifixed, coherent at apex, elliptic, 1.3–1.7 × 0.8–0.9 mm, glabrous; thecae divaricate, confluent at apex, dehiscing longitudinally; connective not projecting; staminodes 3, central one inconspicuous, adnate to adaxial side of corolla tube 1.6–2 mm above base, ca. 0.1 mm long, lateral ones conspicuous, adnate to adaxial side of corolla tube 2.3–2.5 mm above base, 0.7–0.8 mm long. Disc ring-like, pale yellow, 0.2–0.3 mm high, margin entire or repand. Pistil 7.9–12 mm long; ovary linear, 2.8–4.5 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm in diameter, glabrous or short strigose, 1-loculed, placentas 2, parietal, projecting inward, 2-cleft; style 5.1–7.5 mm long, ca. 0.3 mm in diameter, glabrous or sparsely short strigose; stigma 1, terminal, nearly globose, undivided. Capsule straight, linear, 10.3–17.8 mm long, 0.8–0.9 mm in diameter, dehiscing loculicidally to base; valves 2, straight, not twisted. Seeds unappendaged, fusiform, 0.4–0.6 mm long.
Flowering occurs from late July to early September, and fruiting in the wild is unknown; only capsules from the previous year were observed.
The new taxon was named after its locality in Libo County, China.
The Chinese name is “Lì Bō Shí Shān Jù Tái” (荔波石山苣苔).
Only one population was found at the Daqikong Scenic Spot, Libo County, Guizhou Province, China. Plants were found growing on wet shady rocks in the valley, along with mosses, weeds, and shrubs.
Only one population of approximately 200 mature individuals was found in the type locality. It is highly likely that more populations were present in this area. Until further investigation, the species should be designated as “Data Deficient” (DD) according to the IUCN standards (
The new taxon is similar to eight species and one variety of Petrocodon in nearly actinomorphic flowers and one stigma. Its corolla tube is urceolate, similar to P. scopulorum (Chun) Yin Z. Wang (
Character | P. liboensis | P. luteoflorus |
---|---|---|
Leaf blade | lanceolate or oblong | narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate |
Lateral veins | 2–3 on each side of midrib | 4–6 on each side of midrib |
Calyx segments size | 2.1–3.7 × 0.5–0.6 mm | 6–8 × 1.5–2 mm |
Calyx segments margin | entire | entire to denticulate |
Corolla tube shape | urceolate | cannulate |
Abaxial corolla lip length | 0.8–1.1 mm | 2–2.2 mm |
Filaments | 1.5–1.7 mm long and straight | ca. 7 mm long and S-shaped or geniculate near middle |
We would like to thank Jing-Hua Ma and Zheng-Ren Chen for their contributions to the fieldwork, and Bin-Jie Ge for depositing the type specimen in CSH.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
No ethical statement was reported.
This work was supported by the Guizhou Botanical Garden (Z[2023]01), Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Foundation (QKHJC[2020]1Y066, QKHJC[2022]YB203, ZK[2022]291) & ZK[2023]235), Guizhou Province Forestry Bureau ([2022]04, Gui[2022]TG26) & [2020] of Jia-Wen Yang), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32160095), and Guizhou Academy of Science QKY-R[2021]08 & R[2021]7.
Sheng-Hu Tang and Qi-Fei Ren conceived of the study. All the authors collected the samples. Sheng-Hu Tang and Ming-Zhu Ou conducted the measurements of the morphological characteristics, data analysis, and microscopic observations. Sheng-Hu Tang and Jia-Wen Yang wrote the original manuscript. Qi-Fei Ren reviewed and edited the manuscript. All the authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Sheng-Hu Tang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2168-8559
Ming-Zhu Ou https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3417-0094
Qi-Fei Ren https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3265-5952
Jia-Wen Yang https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3427-714X
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.