Research Article |
Corresponding author: Yanjun Zhang ( yanjunzhang@wbgcas.cn ) Academic editor: Marco Pellegrini
© 2023 Jianhang Jiang, Ying Ji, Jianqiang Li, Yanjun Zhang.
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:
Jiang J, Ji Y, Li J, Zhang Y (2023) Epimedium longnanense (Berberidaceae), a new species from Gansu, China. PhytoKeys 219: 97-106. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.219.94275
|
Epimedium longnanense, a new species of Epimedium (Berberidaceae) from Longnan Prefecture, Gansu Province, China, is here proposed and illustrated. E. longnanense has large flowers with petals possessing long spur and obvious basal lamina, and thus should be grouped into series Davidianae. The species closely resembles E. flavum of ser. Davidianae in morphology. However, it can be easily distinguished by its elongated rhizome (vs. compact), trifoliolate leaves (vs. five leaflets, sometimes trifoliolate), pale pink or purplish-red inner sepals with 6–8 × 2–3 mm (vs. pale sulphur-yellow, ca. 11 × 4 mm).
Epimedium, IUCN Red List, morphology, taxonomy
Epimedium Linnaeus, the largest herbaceous genus of Berberidaceae, is a relatively primitive group of angiosperms (
In June 2021, we collected an unusual plant of Epimedium from Kangnan Forest District, Longnan Prefecture, Gansu province, China. In June 2022, we went to the forest district on two further occasions to investigate this plant of Epimedium. The plant is a low-growing herb with a height of 15–20 cm, bearing slender and elongated rhizomes. Its leaves are trifoliolate, and the leaflets are broadly ovate or almost orbicular and relatively small (2.4–4 × 2.3–4 cm). Furthermore, the plant possesses large yellow flowers and its petals are long spurred with an obvious basal lamina, and thus should be a member of ser. Davidianae Stearn. However, this plant has obvious morphological differences from other species of ser. Davidianae by its elongated rhizome, leaflet number, leaflet morphology, leaf arrangement on the flowering stem, flower color, and shape and size of inner sepals and petals. We confirmed that the plant should be a new species, which we describe below.
We have been engaged in taxonomic research of Chinese Epimedium since 2004. We examined all the specimens of Epimedium from the main herbaria of China (BCMM, CDCM, CDBI, GXMI, GZTM, HGAS, HGCM, HIB, HNNU, HNWP, HWA, IBK, IMD, KUN, PE, SAU, SM and SZ). Other Epimedium herbaria of China were examined from the Chinese virtual herbarium (http://www.cvh.ac.cn/). We also investigated the images of specimens of Epimedium from K, P, WU and WUK obtained by email or their network databases. In total, about 1700 Epimedium specimens have been intensively studied. Furthermore, our field investigations covered most of the distribution regions of Chinese Epimedium, including the following provinces, Anhui, Chongqing, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang of China. Almost all of the Chinese species of Epimedium were collected and transplanted to Wuhan Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, for further study and conservation. For the new species of Epimedium, we compared its morphological characters with other species of the genus based on the specimen review and cultivation observation, as well as investigating its distribution and habitat. The morphological characters were described using the terminology used by
Epimedium longnanense is closely similar to E. flavum Stearn in morphology, but can be easily distinguished by its elongated rhizome, trifoliolate leaves, and relatively smaller and pale pink or purplish-red inner sepals.
Epimedium longnanense A habitat B plant C leaves (abaxial sides) D simple inflorescence with a flowering stem bearing one leaf E compound inflorescence with a flowering stem bearing two alternative leaves F flowers (adaxial view) G flower (abaxial view) H flower (Side view) I flower (Side view) and immature capsules J mature capsules K rhizome. Photographed by Yanjun Zhang and Ying Ji.
Perennial herbs 15–20 cm tall. Rhizome ca. 15 cm or longer, ca. 1 mm in diam., elongated. Leaves basal and cauline, trifoliolate. Leaflets 2.4–4 × 2.3–4 cm, broadly ovate or almost orbicular, membranous, adaxially glabrous, abaxially sparsely pubescent, base deeply cordate with usually rounded lobes, those of lateral leaflets unequal, margins spinous-serrulate, apex usually acute or obtuse. Flowering stem with one leaf, or occasionally two alternate leaves, glabrous. Inflorescence compound or simple, 5–15-flowered, 10–15 cm long, glandular, pedicels 1.5–3.5 cm long. Flowers 3–5 cm in diam., yellow. Outer sepals ovate, soon falling; inner sepals 6–8 × 2–3 mm, narrowly ovate, pale pink or purplish-red. Petals 1.5–2.5 cm, much longer than inner sepals, horn-shaped, yellow, spurs slender; basal lamina 6–8 mm high, distinct. Stamens ca. 4 mm long, included, anthers ca. 3 mm long, anthers and pollen pale yellow. Capsules ca. 2 cm long.
Flowering in June; fruiting in late June and early July.
Longnan is located in the southeast of Gansu Province, the intersection of Qinba Mountain, Loess Plateau and Qinghai Tibet Plateau in China. Longnan is a biodiversity hotspot where many new species or new species records have been found (
At present, Epimedium longnanense is only known from its type locality, i.e. Kangnan Forest District, Kangxian County, Longnan Prefecture, Gansu Province, China. The new species mainly occurs in thickets at elevations of 1800–2300 m and is usually together with Fargesia nitida (Mitford) Keng f. ex Yi, Rubia cordifolia L., Smilax stans Maxim., Cardamine tangutorum O. E. Schulz and Veratrum nigrum L. It often grows in stone crevices with barren soil, and its elongated and slender rhizome might be an adaptive characteristic of its living environment. Except for E. longnanense, there are two other species of Epimedium, E. brevicornu Maxim. and E. pubescens Maxim., in Gansu Province, China. In the type locality of E. longnanense, we also found E. pubescens at elevations of 300–1500 m, but no sympatric distribution of these two species was found.
Long nan yin yang huo (陇南淫羊藿).
China, Gansu Province, Longnan Prefecture, Kangxian County, Kangnan Forest District, alt. 2270 m, 20 June 2021, Yanjun Zhang 699 (HIB!); loc. cit., alt. 1900 m, 30 June 2022, Yanjun Zhang 710 (HIB!).
Data available for the new species are still insufficient to assess its conservation status. According to the IUCN criteria (
1 | Leaves biternate, or leaflets 7, 5, 3 | 2 |
– | Leaflets 3 | 4 |
2 | Inner sepals pale sulphur-yellow, ca. 11 × 4 mm | 1. E. flavum Stearn |
– | Inner sepals purple red, 4–6.5 mm long | 3 |
3 | Leaves biternate, or leaflets 7, 5, rarely 3; inner sepals ovate, 5.5–6.5 × ca. 3 mm; petal spurs horizontally spreading with basal lamina 6–7 mm high | 2. E. xichangense Y. J. Zhang |
– | Leaflets 5, or 3; inner sepals narrowly ovate, ca. 4 × 1 mm; petal spurs downward-curved with basal lamina 7–13 mm high | 3. E. davidii Franch. |
4 | Inflorescences racemose or compound | 5 |
– | Inflorescences paniculate | 13 |
5 | Rhizome long-creeping, 1–3 mm in diam | 6 |
– | Rhizome compact. | 10 |
6 | Leaflets broadly ovate or almost orbicular. | 7 |
– | Leaflets ovate or narrowly ovate | 8 |
7 | Inflorescences simple, 3–4-flowered, flowers white, inner sepals 8–10 × ca.2.5 mm, spurs of petals ca. 1.2 cm long | 4. E. pauciflorum K. C. Yen |
– | Inflorescences compound or sometimes simple, 5–15-flowered, flowers yellow, inner sepals 6–8 × 2–3 mm, spurs of petals much longer than inner sepals, 1.5–2.5 cm long | 5. E. longnanense Y. J. Zhang |
8 | Leaflets ovate, 4–5.5 × 2–2.5 cm | 6. E. shuichengense S. Z. He |
– | Leaflets narrowly ovate, 4–8 × 2–5.5 cm. | 9 |
9 | Inner sepals white, ovate, ca. 13 × 9 mm; petals purple, spurs a little longer than inner sepals, 15–16 mm long | 7. E. epsteinii Stearn |
– | Inner sepals reddish, cymbiform, ca. 6 × 2.5 mm; petals pale yellow, spurs much longer than inner sepals, ca. 22 mm long | 8. E. fangii Stearn |
10 | Inner sepals white, petals white | 11 |
– | Inner sepals white or pale pinkish-lilac, petals purple or chestnut-brown | 12 |
11 | Inner sepals lanceolate, 16–19 × 7–8 mm, apex acuminate; petals white, spurs almost as long as inner sepals, 15–18 mm long | 9. E. ogisui Stearn |
– | Inner sepals elliptic, ca. 16 × 8–9 mm, apex shortly acuminate; petals as long as inner sepals | 10. E. latisepalum Stearn |
12 | Inner sepals narrowly ovate, white, petals deep purple, slightly shorter, or nearly as long as inner sepals | 11. E. shengnongjiaense Y. J. Zhang & J. Q. Li |
– | Inner sepals ovate, pale pinkish-lilac, petals chestnut-brown, a little longer than inner sepal, inner sepals pale pinkish-lilac | 12. E. stearnii Ogisu & Rix |
13 | Petals with obvious basal lamina 7–8 mm high | 14 |
– | Petals with slight base lamina 2–3.5 mm high | 15 |
14 | Leaflets oblong-elliptic or narrowly ovate, 10–13 × ca. 6 cm; inner sepals broadly elliptic, 5–6 × 3–4 mm | 13. E. hunanense (Hand.-Mazz.) Hand.-Mazz. |
– | Leaflets lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, 9–23 × 1.8–4.5 cm; inner sepals ovate, ca. 12 × 6–8 cm | 14. E. wushanense T. S. Ying |
15 | Inner sepals ovate or broadly ovate, 8–13 × 4–8 mm; spurs of petals slightly longer than inner sepals, 10–15 mm long | 15. E. pseudowushanense B. L. Guo |
– | Inner sepals ovate, 11–12 × 4–5.5 mm; spurs of petals obviously longer than inner sepals, 17–20 mm long | 16. E. mikinorii Stearn |
The floral trait is one of the most stable taxonomic characters in Epimedium, which has abundant diversities and is the focus of evolution studies of the genus (
So far, in total, there are 16 species in ser. Davidianae (
Comparison of morphological characters of E. longnanense, E. flavum and E. membranaceum.
Characters | E. longnanense | E. flavum | E. membranaceum |
---|---|---|---|
Plant height | 15–20 cm | 13–30 cm | 20–65 cm |
Rhizome | Elongated, ca. 1 mm | Compact, 2–4 mm | Compact or occasionally elongated, 2–4 mm |
Number of leaflets | 3 | (3–)5 | 3 |
Leaves on the flowering stem | 1 leaf or occasionally 2 alternate leaves | 1 leaf or 2 opposite or alternate leaves | 2 opposite or sometimes alternate leaves |
Leaflets | Broadly ovate or almost orbicular, the tip acute or obtuse, 3.5–5.5 × 2.5–4.5 cm | Broadly ovate, the tip obtuse, ca. 4 × 3 cm | Broadly ovate or narrowly ovate, the tip acute or short-acuminate, 3–10 × 2–6 cm |
Inflorescence | Compound or simple, 10–15 cm, 5–15-flowered | Simple or compound, 13 cm, 3–10-flowered | Compound, 16–30 cm, 5–35-flowered |
Inner sepals | Pale pink or purplish-red, 6–8 × 2–3 mm | Pale sulphur-yellow, ca. 11 × 4 mm | Pale pink, 6–7 × 2.5–3 mm |
Spur length of petals | 1.5–2.5 cm | ca. 1.3 cm | 1.5–2.5 cm |
Basal lamina height of petals | 6–8 mm | 8 cm | – |
Among the other three series of Chinese Epimedium sect. Diphyllon, E. longnanense closely resembles E. membranaceum in morphology, a species in ser. Dolichocerae. Epimedium membranaceum was treated as a synonym of E. davidii Franchet in Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinica (
This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32071675, 32270403), Biological Resources Program, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KFJ-BRP-007-16), and the Application Foundation Frontier Project of Wuhan Science and Technology Bureau (2019020701011435).