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Research Article
Lysimachia fenghwaiana (Primulaceae), a new species from Hunan Province, China
expand article infoHai-Fei Yan‡§, Jia-Xiang Li|, Tong-Jian Liu‡§, Gang Hao
‡ South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
§ South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
| Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China
¶ South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China

Corresponding author: Gang Hao ( haogang@scau.edu.cn )

Academic editor: Wendy Achmmad Mustaqim
© 2023 Hai-Fei Yan, Jia-Xiang Li, Tong-Jian Liu, Gang Hao.
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: Yan H-F, Li J-X, Liu T-J, Hao G (2023) Lysimachia fenghwaiana (Primulaceae), a new species from Hunan Province, China. PhytoKeys 220: 75-82. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.220.99556
Open Access

Abstract

A new species, Lysimachia fenghwaiana G.Hao & H.F.Yan (Primulaceae), from Hunan Province, China, is described and illustrated. This new species belongs to Lysimachia subgen. Lysimachia sect. Nummularia and is morphologically similar to L. crista-galli and L. carinata, but is distinctive in its leaf shape and arrangement of flowers. It can be further distinguished from L. crista-galli by the absence of calyx lobule spur, and from L. carinata by the black glandular striates in the corolla lobes, rather than punctate.

Keywords

central China, Ericales, flora, morphological features, taxonomy

Introduction

Lysimachia L. is one of the largest genera of Primulaceae, and it had been known to comprise about 180 species worldwide (Chen et al. 1989; Hu and Kelso 1996). As a whole, it is almost cosmopolitan, with the greatest diversity of species occurring in southwest China, especially in Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces. As a result of various molecular phylogenetic analyses over the past two decades, the alignment of the genus has been largely modified, with expansion to include some monotypic or small genera, for example, Anagallis L., Glaux L., Pelletiera A. St.-Hil. and Trientalis L. (Hao et al. 2004; Banfi et al. 2005; Anderberg et al. 2007; Manns and Anderberg 2009; Yan et al. 2018). The total number of species of Lysimachia has accordingly increased to approximately 250 (Yan et al. 2018).

Some new Lysimachia species have been continually described in recent years, mainly from the areas of central and south-western China (e.g. Zhou et al. 2015; Yan et al. 2017; Huang et al. 2019; Huang et al. 2020; Mou et al. 2020; Ju et al. 2021; Ke et al. 2021). During a field expedition conducted in Pingjiang County, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, in July 2021, a new taxon of Lysimachia was found, which is described here as a species new to science named L. fenghwaiana G.Hao & H.F.Yan, affiliated to Lysimachia subgen. Lysimachia sect. Nummularia (Gilib.) Klatt.

Materials and methods

Historical taxonomic literature has been consulted (e.g. Handel-Mazzetti 1928; Chen and Hu 1979; Chen et al. 1989; Hu and Kelso 1996) to infer similar species and relatedness. The new species was examined in the field and at the herbarium, and measurements of morphological features were conducted with fresh specimens. Particularly, flowers were dissected and photographed. Morphological comparison with related species was performed based on living plants and specimens from IBSC, PE, IBK and CSFI and from the images of specimens from the JSTOR Global Plants (http://plants.jstor.org/). The conservation status of the new species was assessed following the guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2022).

Taxonomic treatment

Lysimachia fenghwaiana G.Hao & H.F.Yan, sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77314718-1
Figs 1, 2, 3

Type

China. Hunan Province, Yueyang City, Pingjiang County, Lutou Forest Farm, 28°32'N, 113°55'E, alt. 421 m, 22 May 2022, Hai-Fei Yan and Chun-Lai Zhang Yan2022050 (holotype: IBSC! barcode IBSC0895001).

Diagnosis

Lysimachia fenghwaiana is most similar to L. crista-galli Pamp. & Hand. -Mazz. and L. carinata Y.I.Fang & C.Z.Cheng, but is different in its leaf shape and arrangement of flowers. It further differs from L. crista-galli in the absence of calyx lobule spur, and differs from L. carinata in the black glandular striates in the corolla lobes (vs. punctate).

Description

Herbs perennial, 20 to 70 cm tall. Stems erect, later arched to reclined, simple or shortly branched, initially covered with rust-coloured multicellular hairs, glabrescent. Leaves opposite; petioles 0.6–1.1 cm long, sparsely strigillose; blades broadly ovate, 1.2–2.8 × 0.8–1.8 cm, sparsely strigillose abaxially, densely short black glandular striate, base broadly cuneate, margin subentire, apex subacute to obtuse; midrib sunken abaxially, prominent abaxially when dry, secondary veins 3 or 4 pairs, veinlets inconspicuous. Flowers solitary or paired, in axis of apical leaves; pedicel 1–1.8 cm, glandular pubescent. Calyx 5-parted, green, lobes lanceolate, 5–6 mm long, abaxially cristate; crest widest at base, ca. 2 mm, black glandular striate, apex acute. Corolla yellow, tube ca. 2 mm long, lobes elliptic-lanceolate, ca. 11 × 4 mm, densely black glandular striate, apex obtuse. Stamens 5, filaments 3.2–3.5 mm long, connate basally into a tube, tube part 3.8–4.0 mm long, adnate to corolla tube, anthers oblong, ca. 1.8 mm long, dorsifixed, opening by lateral slits. Ovary ovoid, 1 mm long, glabrous, style ca. 7 mm long, stigma capitate. Capsules subspherical, ca. 5 mm in diameter, glabrous.

Distribution and habitat

The new species is currently known only from the type locality in Hunan Province, i.e. Lutou Forest Farm in Pingjiang County, Yueyang City. It grows at the edge of secondary mixed-evergreen forests, or under open forest on the hillside, at an altitude of ca. 400–450 m a.s.l.

Phenology

Flowering from May to June, fruiting from July to August.

Etymology

The new species is named in honour of Prof. Feng-Hwai Chen, a Chinese plant taxonomist and horticulturist, who devoted all his life to the development of botanical gardens in China and made considerable contributions to the study of Primulaceae and Asteraceae.

Local name

Simplified Chinese: 芦头过路黄; Chinese Pinyin: Lútou Guò Lù Huáng. “Lútou” means the flowers of Phragmites communis Trin. (Poaceae), which abundantly occurs locally. “Guò Lù Huáng” means plants of Lysimachia.

Conservation status

Based on our field investigations in Yueyang City and adjacent areas (e.g. Hubei and Guangxi Provinces) in the past ten years, only one population with ca. 1000 individuals of the new species has been found in an area of 10 km2 in Lutou Forest Farm, Pingjiang County, Yueyang City. Moreover, the habitats are under threat from road construction and timber harvesting. Therefore, the conservation status of the new species is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) (B2a & bi, iii), according to the guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2022).

Additional specimens examined

(paratypes). China. The same locality as holotype, 25 July 2021, Hai-Fei Yan et al. Yan2021069 (IBSC!); The same locality as holotype, 4 June 2012, under forest, alt. ca. 500 m, Jiaxiang Li et al. 1855 (CSFI! barcode CSFI069374).

Relationship with related species

Based on the classification of Lysimachia by Handel-Mazzetti (1928) and Chen and Hu (1979), the new species clearly belongs to Lysimachia subgenus Lysimachia sect. Nummularia ser. Drymarifoliae Hand.-Mazz., which is characterised by filaments connate into a tube, adnate to the base of corolla tube; anthers shorter than filaments, opening by lateral slits; and plants producing coloured punctate or striate glands. Amongst this series, approximately six species constitute a group, highlighted by the calyx with crested ridges (Handel-Mazzetti 1928; Chen et al. 1989; Zhou et al. 2015). The new species belongs to the group by having a crested calyx (Figs 1D, 2G) and is morphologically similar to L. crista-galli and L. carinata, but is distinctive in its flowers occurring in the axis of the apical leaves, rather than in the axis of the middle and upper leaves in the latter two species. Further, from L. crista-galli, it differs in its cuneate leaf base and absence of corolla lobule spur (vs. leaf base cordate and calyx lobule spur present in L. crista-galli); and from L. carinata, it differs by the shape of leaf lamina and corolla, i.e striate in L. crista (vs. punctate in L. carinata) (see Table 1).

Figure 1. 

Holotype of Lysimachia fenghwaiana G.Hao & H.F.Yan, sp. nov. (Hai-Fei Yan and Chun-Lai Zhang Yan2022050, IBSC barcode IBSC0895001).

Figure 2. 

Lysimachia fenghwaiana G.Hao & H.F.Yan, sp. nov. A habit B abaxial surface of leaf C flower D calyx-lobe showing crest ridge E dissected corolla F stamens G pistil. Drawn by Yun-Xiao Liu from the holotype.

Figure 3. 

Living plant of Lysimachia fenghwaiana G.Hao & H.F.Yan, sp. nov. A habitat B, C habit D, E flowering plant F fruiting plant G leaves on abaxial (left) and adaxial (right) surfaces H flower (lateral view) I stamens and pistil (partial). Photographed by Jia-Xiang Li and Hai-Fei Yan.

Table 1.
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Main morphological differences between Lysimachia fenghwaiana and two similar species.

Features L. fenghwaiana L. crista-galli L. carinata
Lamina shape broadly ovate, base rounded to truncate, apex subacute to obtuse broadly ovate to suborbicular, base cordate, apex subacute to obtuse broadly ovate to ovate, base rounded to truncate, apex acute to acuminate
Lamina glands’ type short striate mix of both striate and punctate punctate
Arrangement of flowers solitary or paired in axis of apical leaves solitary, in axis of middle and upper leaves solitary or paired, in axis of middle and upper leaves
Calyx lobule spur Absent Present absent
Corolla lobule glands densely striate densely striate punctate

Whether the development of the crest to the calyx lobes, i.e. the winged keel of the calyx lobes, is a synapomorphy and those species constitute a monophyletic group in Lysimachia is uncertain, and further phylogenetic analysis should be undertaken to resolve this issue.

Acknowledgements

The study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 32070220 and 31870192) and the Biological Resources Programme, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KFJ-BRP-017-104). We thank Yun-Xiao Liu for the line drawings of the holotype, and Quan-Ai Zou and Chun-Lai Zhang from Lutou Forest Farm for samples.

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