Research Article |
Corresponding author: Shou-Biao Zhou ( zhoushoubiao@vip.163.com ) Academic editor: Marco Pellegrini
© 2019 Rong-Bin Wang, Wei-Yong Ni, Wen-Jing Xu, Zheng-Wen Gui, Shou-Biao Zhou.
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:
Wang R-B, Ni W-Y, Xu W-J, Gui Z-W, Zhou S-B (2019) Clematis guniuensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Eastern China. PhytoKeys 128: 47-55. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.128.33891
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Clematis guniuensis sp. nov., a new narrowly endemic species of Clematis, is described and illustrated from the Huangshan Mountains of Eastern China. A description of C. guniuensis is presented along with illustrations, photographs and diagnostic differences between the new species and its putative close allies.
Anhui, Early diverging eudicots, Ranunculales, Taxonomy
Clematis L. (Ranunculaceae) is a large genus of early diverging eudicots, comprising approximately 280–350 species (
During floristic surveys in experimental forestry plots of this Guniujiang National Nature Reserve between 2016 and 2018, a conspicuous species bearing 1-flowered cymes was collected. After thorough comparisons of diagnostic morphological and anatomical features of similar taxa (
Measurements and morphological character assessments of the putative new species were undertaken using herborised and living specimens observed in the field or cultivated at the Botanical Garden of Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. All available specimens of Clematis, stored in the following herbaria (acronyms according to
Resembles C. florida Thunb. and C. huchouensis Tamura but can be distinguished from the former one by puberulous leaflet blades, longer petiole, larger flowers with light green sepals, longer stamens and white filaments and from the latter by its longer petioles, 3-lobed leaflet blades, shorter pedicel, larger flowers, 4 sepals, filaments about 3–5 times the length of the anther, persistent style 1.5–2 cm long, and yellow plumose.
CHINA. Anhui Province: Qimeng County, Guniujiang National Nature Reserve, Huangshan City, 30°0'57.02"N, 117°29'37.17"E, 550 m a.s.l., 15 May 2018, flowering, Rong-Bin Wang, WRB201805068 (holotype: ANUB!; isotypes: AHU!, PE!, WUH!).
Vines herbaceous, perennial; branches inconspicuously longitudinally 6-sulcate to sub-terete, densely primrose yellow puberulous covering when young, becoming glabrescent with age. Root fusiform. Leaves opposite, ternate; petiole 7–10 cm long; leaflets 3-lobed, ovate to narrowly-ovate; central lobe 6–7.5 × 3.5–4 cm, lateral lobes 4–5 × 2.8–3.5 cm, margin coarsely dentate to entire, apex acuminate or sometimes caudate, base broadly cuneate to rounded, papery, adaxially dark green, densely appressed white pilose, abaxially light green, sparsely puberulous to sub-glabrous, basal veins abaxially slightly prominent; and with petiolule 1–2 cm long. Cymes axillary, 1-flowered; peduncles 3–6 cm long, densely puberulous; bracts opposite, subsessile, ovate, 1.2–1.7 × 5–7 mm, margin entire, both surfaces puberulous. Flowers 6–8 cm diam.; pedicels ca. 2 cm long, conical, sulcate, green, densely puberulous; sepals 4, spreading, light green, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or broad-lanceolate, 3.5–4.5 × 1.8–2.3 cm, apex acute, adaxially glabrous, abaxially sparsely white pubescent, trinerved; stamens numerous, 1–3 cm long, filaments linear, glabrous, about 3–5 times the length of the anthers, anthers narrowly oblong, ca. 6 mm long, white, glabrous, apex shortly apiculate; ovaries ellipsoidal, pubescent, style densely yellow-villose. Achenes dark-brown, strongly compressed, ovate to broadly ellipsoidal, ca. 3 × 1 mm wide, pubescent; persistent style 1.5–2 cm long, yellow-plumose.
Clematis guniuensis W.Y.Ni, R.B.Wang & S.B.Zhou. A Habitat B Young branches, showing stems 6–grooved, puberulous C Inflorescences, showing style and abaxial surface view of leaf blade D Dorsal view of cymes, showing peduncles and bracts E Frontal view of flower, showing stamens F Fruit G Achenes, showing persistent style.
Flowering from April to May; fruiting from October to November.
The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Guniujiang National Nature Reserve.
Gǖ Niǘ Tiě Xiãn Lián (Chinese pronunciation); 牯牛铁线莲 (Chinese name).
To date, C. guniuensis is only known from the type locality, Guniujiang National Nature Reserve, Huangshan City, Anhui Province (Fig.
Based on the present field investigations, C. guniuensis is currently only known from the type locality and with a very small population size (ca. 20 individuals). The species should be given the IUCN status of Critically Endangered (CR) based on criteria D: “Population size estimated to number fewer than 50 mature individuals” (
A morphological comparison between C. guniuensis and morphologically related species, C. florida and C. huchouensis, is provided in Table
Diagnostic character differences amongst Clematis guniuensis, C. huchouensis and C. florida.
Characters | Clematis guniuensis | Clematis huchouensis | Clematis florida |
---|---|---|---|
Petioles | 7–10 cm long | 1.7–3 cm long | 2–4 cm long |
Shape of leaflet blades | 3-lobed | 2- or 3-lobed or undivided | undivided |
Indumentum of leaflet blades | puberulous | puberulous | glabrous |
Flower per cyme | 1-flowered | 1–3-flowered | 1-flowered |
Size of bracts | 1.2–1.7 cm long | 2–3 cm long | 1.4–3 cm long |
Size of pedicels | ca. 2 cm long | 1.2–3 cm long | 3.7–8.5 cm long |
Size of flowers | 6–8 cm wide | 2–3 cm wide | 3.6–5 cm wide |
Number of sepals | 4 | 4 | 6 |
Colour of sepals | light green | white | white |
Size of sepals | 3.5–4.5 ×1.8–2.3 cm | 1.4–2.2 × 0.3–0.6 cm | 2–3 × 1–1.5 cm |
Size of anthers | ca. 6 mm long | 2.5–3.2 mm long | 2.5–3.5 mm long |
Filaments | about 3-5 times the length of the anther, white | equal to the length of the anther, white | shorter than anthers, purple |
Persistent styles | 1.5–2 cm long, yellow plumose | 0.8–1.3 cm long, appressed yellowish pubescent | ca. 8 mm long, basally spreading puberulous, apically glabrous |
The authors are grateful to Yu-Han Xiao from Nanjing Normal University of Special Education for the beautiful hand-drawings. This study was financially supported by Long-term Plot of Forest Ecosystem Project in Guniujiang National Nature Reserve, the Anhui University Doctor Start-up Fund, Key University Science Research Project of Anhui Province (No. KJ2017A022), Anhui Natural Science Fund Project (1908085QC126), Key Projects for Academic Support of Top-level Talents in Colleges and Universities in Anhui Province (No. gxbjZD2016106), National traditional Chinese medicine resources survey project (caishe [2017] no. 66).
List of all specimens analyzed for all three species for this study, with voucher number and deposition and origin information. Species are listed in alphabetical order.
Clematis florida Thunb.
CHINA. Anhui Province: Zhu P.Z., 64-0067 (JSPC); Ho Y.Y., Y.Y.Ho-02243 (SYS); Chongqing City: Liu Z.Y., Liu Z.Y.-972413 (IMC); Guangdong Province: Huang C., Huang-162703 (IBSC); Chen W.Y., Chun Woon Young 8416 (PE); Chun Y.F., Y.F.Chun-30488 (SYS); Shi G.L., Shi G.L.13249 (WUK); Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Mashan Expedition Team, 450124140722047LY (GXMG); Liu Y. et al., Liu & Yu H0094 (IBK); Guangxi Investigation Team, Guangxi-3984 (PE); Guizhou Province: Huang W.L. & Tu Y.L., Huang & Tu-0459 (GNUG); Wang Z.R., 522628140720152LY (GZTM); Gao J., Gao2013233024 (QNUN); Li K., DPS2013233024 (QNUN); Henan Province: Ye Y.X., 20071024B8 (BJFC); Li G.Q., Li4257 (HEAC); Yang W.G., Yang W.G.58 (HEAC); Xu C.X., Xu 78055 (HENU); Yang X.F., Yang 28 (HENU); Wang X.F., Wang 181 (HENU); Fu J.Q., Fu 2201 (IBK); Hubei Province: Wu J.Q. & Ma X.Y., Wu & Ma 8061 (HIB); Sichuan Province: Li J.Y., ss201208040024 (BJFC); Chien Y., Y.Chien 5993 (N); Yan J.X., Yan 87029 (PEM); Chien S.S., Chien Sung Shu 5342 (SZ); Zhejiang Province: Cheng R.C., R.C. Cheng 1976 (IBSC); Rwan Chia Tsuin, Rwan Chia Tsuin 37 (N); Zhejiang Investigation Team, Shen Jia-Yu 8065 (NAS).
Clematis huchouensis Tamura
CHINA. Guizhou Province: Huo P.Z., Zhi M.G. & Yuan D.X., 520222150126001LY (GZTM); Jiangsu Province: Wu W.X., Wu W.X.4205 (NAS); Ding Z.Z. & Wang Y.C., Ding & Wang 0939 (NAS); Wu W.X., W.X.Wu 6087 (NAS); Wu W.X., Wu W.X.4351 (WUK); Jiangxi Province: Shen S.J., Shen S.J.381 (PE); Shen S.J., Shen S.J.00565 (PE); Sichuan Province: Ju W.B. & Deng H.N., HGX13374 (CDBI); Zhejiang Province: Jiang Y.P., HZ008256 (HHBG); Tu Z.B., Tu0104710 (HIB); Chen S., S.Chen 1931 (NAS); Chen M., M.Chen 868 (NAS); Zhang S.R., Zhang S.R.1094 (PE).