The new species is similar to Oreocharis concava (Craib) Mich.Möller & A.Weber, but different in broadly ovate bracts (vs. narrowly oblong to obovate), corolla strigose outside (vs. pubescent), calyx 5-sect up to 1/3 from base (vs. above middle) and ovary and fruit pubescent (vs. glabrous).

Figure 4. 

Oreocharis eriocarpa W.H.Chen & Y.M.Shui, sp. nov. A plant B lateral view of flower C frontal view of flower D opened corolla showing stamens, anthers, disc and staminode E pistil showing ovary, disc and stigma. (Drawn by Ling Wang from holotype).

CHINA. Yunnan Province: Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Wenshan county, Laohuilong community, Laowuji village, 103°51'13.17"E, 23°20'29.35"N, alt. 2168 m, on rocks in the forests, 30 July 2013, Shui Y.M., He D.M. et al. B2013-304 (holotype, KUN; isotype, PE).

Herb perennial and stemless, rhizomatous. Leaves basal; petiole 4–8 cm, densely brown villous; leaf blade ovate, thickly chartaceous, 4.0–5.2 × 3.0–3.5 cm, adaxially setulose and rugose, abaxially glabrous amongst veins, sparsely brown villous along veins, base cordate, apex acute, margin biserrate, lateral veins 5–6 on each side of midrib, indistinct adaxially and distinct abaxially. Inflorescences axillary; peduncle 9–13 cm, densely brown villous; bracts 2, leaf-like, broadly ovate, 7–10 × ca. 5 mm, adaxially glabrous and abaxially villous, margin serrate. Pedicel 1–2.5 cm, villous. Calyx ca. 6 mm, 5-sect from 1/3; segments equal, triangular, ca. 4 × 1.5–2 mm, margin entire below top, top crenate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially pubescent. Corolla yellow, 1.6–2.9 cm, outside strigose and inside glabrous; tube campanulate-cylindric, gradually slightly widening from middle of tube, 1.3–2 cm, 0.3–0.4 cm in diam., throat not constricted; limb 2-lipped; adaxial lip smaller, 3–5 mm, emarginate; abaxial lip larger, 3-lobed, lobes oblong, apex rounded, central lobe ovate, ca. 7 × 5 mm, lateral lobes rotund, ca. 5 × 5 mm. Stamens 4, coherent in 2 pairs, included, adaxial stamens 3–6 mm, adnate to corolla tube 7–13 mm from base, abaxial stamens 3–4 mm, adnate to corolla tube 13–16 mm from base; filaments tender, glabrous; anthers basifixed, oblong, 2-loculed, dehiscing longitudinally; staminode ca. 0.5 mm, adnate to corolla tube ca. 8 mm. Disc ring-like, 1–2 mm, 5-lobed shallowly. Pistil 0.9–1.8 cm, pubescent; ovary oblong, pubescent, 0.5–1.2 cm, 1-loculed; style glabrous, 0.4–0.6 cm; stigma 1, 2-lobed. Capsule straight, narrowly oblong, 3.4–4 cm × 0.8–0.9 cm, existing style ca. 0.7 cm. Seeds not seen.

The new species is endemic to SE Yunnan of China, on rocks or limestone cliffs. Flowering is July–September; and fruiting is October–January the following year.

So far, there are two populations of the new species observed in the field (Fig. 1). One is in the type locality at the core position of the nature reserve with ca. 500 mature individuals and ca. 10, 000 m² (100 m × 100 m) area, the other is the Pingbian county with ca. 120 mature individuals and ca. 1, 200 m² (20 m × 60 m) area. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, the new species is hereby assessed as “Vulnerable (VU)” (D1+D2). (IUCN 2012).

CHINA, Yunnan Province: Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Pingbian county, Heping community, Baige village,103°52'36.71"E, 23°17'24.68"N, 26 August 2015, Shui Y.M. et al. B2015-315A (KUN). Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture: Wenshan county, Laohuilong community, Laowuji village, Matangqing, 103°51'14.33"E, 23°20'29.96"N, in fruits, 20 October, 2012, De-Min He and Ting Zhang WSLJS558 (KUN); the same locality, 103°51'13.17"E, 23°20'29.35"N, on rocks in the forests, alt. 2168 m, in flower, 16 August 2018, Ting Zhang, De-Min He and Yan-Fei Feng 18CS17589 (KUN).

The species is named after the pubescent fruits (Fig. 2F).

The new species is endemic to the border regions of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture and Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in SE Yunnan (Fig. 1), at ca. 2100 m elevation. It is unique in its pubescent ovary and fruits (Fig. 2A–F). Its similar species (Oreocharis concava) is distributed in Northwest Yunnan at 2,800–3,600 m elevation, viz. Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Lijiang District and Deqin Zang Autonomous Prefecture (Fig. 1). Table 1 shows the other differences between the above two species. Thus, there is an obvious geographical substitution between the above two species. Besides, after the examination of type specimens in PE and consulting the literature (Pan 1987, Li and Wang 2005, Möller et al. 2011), the new species seems similar to its another variety [Oreocharis concava var. angustifolia (K.Y.Pan) Mich.Möller & A.Weber] in the pubescent ovary, but obviously different from it in its ovate blade (vs. elliptic). It is possible that the latter variety might be a different species from the original variety and needs to be explored in the future.

The new species is similar to Oreocharis georgei J. Anthony, but different in shallowly cordate leaf base (vs. narrowly cuneate), corolla ca. 2.4 cm long (vs. 1.4–1.9 cm), abaxial lip of corolla ca. 12 mm long (vs. 5–6 mm), the corolla throat not constricted (vs. constricted) and stamens coherent in 2 pairs (vs. separated).

Figure 5. 

Oreocharis fulva W.H.Chen & Y.M.Shui, sp. nov. A plant B opened corolla showing stamens and staminode C lateral view of flower D fruit E face view of the corolla, showing the large abaxial limb lobes. (Drawn by Ling Wang from holotype).

CHINA. Yunnan Province: Lincang district, Yongde county, Daxue Mt., on rocks at forest margins along slope, 99°41'25"E, 24°11'50"N, elev. 2,000 m, 13 September 2013, in flower, Shui Y.M. et al. B2013-579 (holotype, KUN; isotype, KUN, PE).

Herbs perennial, stemless, rhizomatous. Leaves basal. Petiole 1–3 cm long, golden-brown villous; leaf blade elliptic, thickly chartaceous or nearly leathery, 2.8–4 × 1.2–1.6 cm, adaxially green, sparsely long golden-brown villous, abaxially red-brown and with densely long golden multi-articulate hairs (especially on midrib), base shallowly cordate, apex obtuse, margin widely crenate and ciliate; lateral veins ca. 5 pairs on each side of midrib. Inflorescences axillary, multi-flowered. Peduncles 4.5–7 cm, golden-brown villous; bracts 2, very small, linear, ca. 6 × 1 mm. Calyx 5-sect to base, lobes lanceolate or linear, ca. 8 × 1 mm, adaxially green and glabrous, abaxially red-brown and golden-brown villous. Corolla yellow, ca. 2.4 cm long, outside white glandular pubescent and inside glabrous; corolla tube cylindrical, not constricted at throat, ca. 1.2 cm long, ca. 0.2 cm in diam., more or less curving; limb 2-lipped, adaxial lip 0.3–0.4 cm, 2-lobed, much shorter than abaxial lip, lobes oblong or subround, ca. 0.2 × 0.15–0.25 cm, apex rounded; abaxial lip ca. 1.2 cm, 3-lobed, middle lobe oblong or obovate, 0.7–0.9 × 0.4–0.6 cm, lateral lobes oblong or obovate, closely equal, 0.6–0.7 × 0.3–0.5 cm, apex rounded. Stamens 4, coherent in 2 pairs, included, adaxial stamens ca. 7 mm, adnate to corolla tube ca. 4 mm from base, abaxial stamens ca. 8 mm, adnate to corolla tube ca. 6 mm from base; filaments white, adaxial ca. 0.7 cm, abaxial ca. 0.8 cm; anthers ca. 1 mm long, oblong, basifixed, dehiscing longitudinally; staminode 1, ca. 0.4 cm long, completely adnate to tube. Pistil included, ca. 0.7 cm long, glabrous; ovary columned, ca. 0.3 cm long, 2-loculed, glabrous; style ca. 0.3 cm, glabrous; stigmas 1, retuse; disc ring-like, ca. 0.1 cm high, margin dentate. Capsule straight, oblong, 2.0–2.5 cm long, existing style ca. 0.2 cm. Seeds not seen.

This species is only distributed in Yongde, Yunnan Province and grows on the rocks in montane forests. Flowering is September–October and fruiting is September–November.

The epithet “fulva” is named after the golden-brown villi on the plants.

There is only a population with ca. 200 mature individuals and ca. 20, 000 m² area (400 m × 500 m) from the type locality outside the nature reserve. Due to the vicinity of the local villages, the population is extremely affected by walnut planting. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, the new species is assessed as “Critically Endangered (CR)” (B1ab(iii)+C2a(ii)). (IUCN 2012)

Oreocharis fulva is different from the other species in the tetrandrous and yellow-flowered group of Oreocharis s.l. and unique in its expanding corolla lips and narrow and short corolla tubes, with slight similarity to Oreocharis georgei in the morphology and texture of leaves (Fig. 3A–F, Table 2). Additionally, the new species and its similar species are respectively distributed in Southwest Yunnan (Lincang District) and Northwest Yunnan (Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture and Lijiang District) without overlapping geographical distribution (Fig. 1, Li and Wang 2005).

The new species is similar to Oreocharis concava (Craib) Mich.Möller & A.Weber, but different in leaf margin lacerate (vs. unlobed), corolla strigose or glandular outside (vs. glabrous), abaxial lip much larger than the adaxial corolla lip (vs. nearly equal).

Figure 6. 

Oreocharis lacerata W.H.Chen & Y.M.Shui, sp. nov. A plant B flower C opened corolla showing stamens D fruit E abaxially leaf blade F pistil showing calyx, ovary, stigma and disc. (Drawn by Ling Wang from holotype).

CHINA. Yunnan Province: Lincang district, Yongde county, Womulong xiang, Ganhe village, Daliang Mt., on rocks along slope, alt. 2700 m, riverside, rare, 5 August 2003, Zi S. S. 208 (holotype, KUN; isotype, PE).

Herbs perennial, stemless, rhizomatous. Leaves basal. Petiole 4–6 cm, covered with long golden multi-articulate hairs; leaf blade broadly lanceolate or elliptic, 3–4 × 2–2.5 cm, adaxially sparely puberulent, abaxially setal and with long golden multi-articulate hairs on ribs, base cordate, margin lacerate, lobes oblong and serrate, apex obtuse; lateral veins 3–4 pairs on each side of midrib. Inflorescences axillary, with many flowers. Peduncles 8–10 cm, golden-brown villous; bracts 2, ovate, ca. 2 × 1 cm. Calyx ca. 0.5 cm, 5-sect from middle, lobes triangular, 0.1–0.2 × ca. 0.15 cm, glabrous, apex acute, margin crenate. Corolla yellow, campanulate-cylindrical, 2.3–2.4 cm long, outside sparely multi-articulate strigose, inside glabrous; tube 1.8–1.9 cm long, ca. 1.5 mm in diam. at base and ca. 5 mm in diam. at throat, inflated above the middle; limb 2-lipped, adaxial lip 2-lobed, lobes semi-rounded, 3.1–3.4 × 0.3–3.2 mm, apex obtuse; abaxial lip explanate and 3-lobed, middle lobes oblong, 5–6 × 2.0–2.6 mm, glabrous, apex obtuse. Stamens 4, coherent in 2 pairs, included, adaxial stamens ca. 1.2 cm, adnate at the throat of corolla, abaxial stamens ca. 1.7 cm, adnate to corolla tube ca. 1.2 cm from base; filaments white, glabrous; anthers ca. 0.1 cm, oblong, basifixed, dehiscing longitudinally; staminode 1, ca. 0.1 cm long. Pistil included, ca. 1.2 cm long, glabrous; ovary columned, glabrous, ca. 0.7 cm long, 2-loculed; style glabrous, ca. 0.2 cm; stigma 1, undivided, oblate; disc ring-like, ca. 0.15 cm high, margin dentate. Capsule straight, oblong, 2–3.8 cm long, existing style ca. 0.2 cm. Seeds ovate, 0.6–0.63 × 0.21–0.24 mm.

This species is distributed in Yongde county, Yunnan Province, SW China. Flowering is August and fruiting is September–November.

The species is named after the lacerate leaves.

The new species has been observed only from the type locality. The preliminary observation revealed that there are 300 mature individuals and ca. 600 m² (20 m × 30 m) area nearby the summit in the core area of the nature reserve, almost never to be affected by the activity of the local people. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, the new species is hereby assessed as “Vulnerable (VU)”(D). (IUCN 2012)

CHINA. Yunnan province: Lincang district, Yongde county, Wumulong community, Ganhe village, Daliang Mt., 99°38'58"E, 24°08'56"N, on rocks in shrubs, elev. 2,902 m, flowers yellow, common, 11 August 2003, in flower, Zi S.S. 261 (KUN, PE); the same locality, elev. 2,900 m, rare,16 September 2013, Li Yong-Liang YDDXS 1137 (KUN).

Oreocharis lacerata is more similar to O. concava in the morphology of flowers than other species in the group with tetrandrous and yellow flowers, but differs mainly in the lacerate leaf margin (vs. unlobed) and obviously longer inferior lip of corolla than the superior lip (vs. equal between the two lips of corolla) (Fig. 3G–M, Table 3). With its pinnatilobate leaves, the new species is slightly more similar to Oreocharis eximium in the yellow-flowered group in Oreocharis and to O. pinnatilobata (K.Y.Pan) Mich.Möller & A.Weber in the purple-flowered group, but differs considerably in the morphology of flowers and fruits (Wang et al. 1990, 1998, Li 1991, Li and Wang 2005, Möller et al. 2011).

The new species is most similar in leaves to Oreocharis concava (Craib) Mich. Möller & A.Weber, but differs in broadly ovate leaf blade (vs. oblong-ovate), remotely pubescent adaxial leaf surface (vs. villous), calyx margin crenate (vs. irregularly dentate), the shorter corolla (1.5–1.6 cm long vs. 2.2–2.8 cm), adaxial corolla lip bilobed (vs. emarginate to undivided) and disc subentire (vs. 5-lobed).

Figure 7. 

Oreocharis wenshanensis W.H.Chen & Y.M.Shui, sp. nov. A plant B opened corolla showing stamens and staminode C pistil showing ovary, disc and stigma D calyx. (Drawn by Ling Wang from holotype).

CHINA. Yunnan Province: Wenshan county, Bozu Mt., 23°21'1.41"N, 103°55'6.20"E, in dense forests, elev. 2,700 m, 27 July 1993, in flower, Shui Y.M. 3126 (holotype, KUN!; isotype, PE!).

Herb perennial, stemless, rhizomatous. Leaves many, basal; petiole 5–9 cm, densely pubescent; leaf blade broadly ovate, chartaceous, 5.0–9.0 × 3.7–7.0 cm, adaxially sparsely pubescent and abaxially along veins, base cordate, apex acuminate, margin biserrate, lateral veins 4–5 on each side of midrib, indistinct adaxially and distinct abaxially. Inflorescences axillary, peduncle 6–10 cm, densely pubescent; bracts narrowly oblong, ca. 0.9 × 0.2 cm, adaxially glabrous, abaxially sparsely pubescent, apex acuminate, margin serrate above middle and entire below middle. Inflorescences axillary, densely cymose. Peduncles 5–7 cm, pubescent; Pedicels 2.0–2.8 cm, pubescent. Calyx 6–7 mm, 5-sect from 2/3; segments equal, triangular, ca. 3 × 2 mm, adaxially glabrous, abaxially pubescent, margin serratulate. Corolla yellow, 1.5–1.6 cm long, outside pubescent and inside glabrous; tube cylindrical, gradually slightly widening from middle of tube, 0.7–1.0 cm long, ca. 0.3 cm in diam., throat not constricted; limb 2-lipped; adaxial lip smaller, ca. 3 mm long, 2-lobed, lobes oblong, apex obtuse, 1–1.5 × ca. 1.5 mm; abaxial lip larger, 4–5 mm long, 3-lobed, lobes oblong, apex acute, central lobe 4–5 × ca. 3 mm, lateral lobes ca. 3 × 3 mm. Stamens 4, coherent in 2 pairs, included, adaxial stamens ca. 2 mm, adnate to corolla tube ca. 3 mm from base, abaxial stamens ca. 4 mm, adnate to corolla tube ca. 3 mm from base; filaments tender, glabrous; anthers basifixed, oblong, 2-loculed, dehiscing longitudinally; staminode 1, 1–2 mm, adnate to corolla tube 2–3 mm from base. Disc ring-like, 1–2 mm, subentire. Pistil 2.5–6 mm, glabrous; ovary oblong, glabrous, 1–4 mm, 1-loculed; style glabrous, 1.5–2 mm; stigma 1, top retuse. Capsule straight, oblong, 1.3–1.8 cm, existing style ca. 0.2 cm. Seeds not seen.

The new species only grows in the montane forest in Wenshan county, Yunnan Province of China. Flowering is July–September; and fruiting is October–January the following year.

The species is named after the type locality of the new species.

Currently, the new species has been observed only from the type locality. The more than two years observation revealed that there are ca. 50 mature individuals and ca. 300 m² (10 m × 30 m) area nearby the summit in the core area of the nature reserve, similarly to the above species (O. lacerata). According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, the new species is hereby assessed as “Critically Endangered (CR)” (D1+D2). (IUCN 2012)

CHINA. Yunnan Province: Wenshan county, Laojun Mt., on rocks in forests, 23°21'1.41"N, 103°55'6.20"E, 31 August 2012, in flower, Shui Y.M., He D.M. et al. B2012-099 (KUN); the same locality, on rocks in bamboo, 23°21'1.45"N, 103°55'6.24"E, 24 June 2013, Shui Y.M. & Xiao B. B2013-100C (KUN).

Oreocharis wenshanensis was collected first in 1993 by Y. M. Shui in Wenshan county, SE Yunnan, China (Fig. 2G–K). In 2005, the new species was wrongly identified as Oreocharis aurea Dunn var. cordato-ovata (C.Y. Wu ex H.W. Li) K.Y. Pan, A.L. Weitzman & L.E. Skog, based on the photo in Li and Wang (2005) possibly because of their similar locality in SE Yunnan. However, the latter species endemically grows in the limestone forests in Xichou county, the neighbouring county of Wenshan county, a very different habitat from Oreocharis wenshanensis. Furthermore, the new species we proposed can be easily distinguished from Oreocharis aurea Dunn var. cordato-ovata by its broadly ovate blade, smaller corolla without contracted throat and bilobed adaxial corolla lips (Li and Wang 2005). In fact, due to its 2700 m elevation, it is morphologically more similar to O. concava from NW Yunnan with 3100–3400 m elevation (Fig. 7, Table 4). After more than 20 years of observation, with the support of local staff of the Nature Reserve, we made a long-term observation from 1993 to 2018 and confirmed its taxonomic novelty.