Wednesday, September 7, 2022

[Botany • 2020] Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis (Lamiaceae) • A New Species from the Limestone Areas of northern Guizhou, China


Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis R.B.Zhang, D.Tan & C.B.Ma, 

in Zhang, Deng, Dou, ... et Hu, 2020. 

Abstract
Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis (Lamiaceae), a new species found in the limestone areas of northern Guizhou, China, is described and illustrated in this paper. Based on its tubular-campanulate calyx, this taxon should be a member of sect. Paraphlomis Prain. The new species resembles P. patentisetulosa C.Y. Wu & H. W. Li, P. hispida C.Y. Wu, and P. hirsutissima C.Y. Wu & H.W. Li, but differs from these three taxa in the following aspects: the stems are very short (<7 cm), with one or two short internodes, giving the impression of having a tuft of basal leaves; it has sparsely setose hairs on the outer surface of the calyces and short fruiting calyces. The florescence, fruit period, habitat, and the geographical distribution of P. kuankuoshuiensis are also quite different from the three closely related species.

Keywords: Guizhou, karst, limestone flora, new taxon, Paraphlomideae, Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis


Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis sp. nov.
A natural habitat B flowering plant C short and tufted stems D rhizome E–F calyces G bracteoles H frontal view of verticillaster I lateral view of verticillaster J–K corolla L anthers M front view of corolla N fresh nutlets and fruiting calyx O dried nutlets.
Photographed by Ren-Bo Zhang.

     

Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis R.B.Zhang, D.Tan & C.B.Ma, sp. nov.
 
Diagnosis: Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis can be distinguished from the morphologically similar species P. patentisetulosa, P. hispida, and P. hirsutissima by its very short stem (< 7 cm) with one or two short internodes (giving the impression of having a tuft of basal leaves). The three closely related species have stems longer than 15 cm and more internodes. The new species has sparsely setose hairs on the outer surface of the calyces (vs. finely or densely) and short fruiting calyces (5-6 cm vs. 7 cm, 8-9 cm, and to 11 cm). There are some other diagnostic characters between the new species and its three closely related species (Table 1). The flowering from July to August and fruiting from August to September are quite different from the three species (vs. fruiting from November to January). It grows on bare steep rocks, which is a distinctive habitat. The new species distributes in Guizhou Province and is far away from the other three species (Fig. 3).

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘kuankuoshuiensis’ is derived from the plant’s locality: Kuankuoshui National Natural Reserve, Guizhou Province, China.


Ren-Bo Zhang, Tan Deng, Quan-Li Dou, Ruo-Xun Wei, Lin He, Chong-Bo Ma, Sheng Zhao and Shun Hu. 2020. Paraphlomis kuankuoshuiensis (Lamiaceae), A New Species from the Limestone Areas of northern Guizhou, China. PhytoKeys. 139: 13-20. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.139.47055