[Botany • 2024] Huperzia crassifolia (Lycopodiaceae) • A New Species from China based on morphological characters and molecular evidence

Huperzia crassifolia  W.M.Chu & B.Y.Zhang ex Z.Y.Guo, 

in Guo, Liu, Wang,  Fujiwara, Liu, Zhang et Schneider, 2024.

厚叶石杉   ||  DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.246.131046

Abstract

A new species of the firmoss from China, Huperzia crassifolia sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on morphological characters and molecular evidence. The new species resembles species associated with the H. javanica complex, in particular H. javanica based on leaf shape and serrations, but can be easily distinguished by elliptic lanceolate and thick coriaceous leaves, well differentiated seasonal constriction zones, and reflexed leaf margins when get dried. Phylogenomic reconstruction using whole chloroplast genome sequences recovered H. crassifolia as sister to H. sutchueniana and only distantly related to morphological similar species H. javanica, H. nanlingensis, and H. serrata. The genome size 2C = 17.2 pg indicated the new species to be a tetraploid, whereas diploid H. javanica had a genome size of 8.7 pg. Morphological characters, distribution, and conservation status of the new species are also presented.

Key words: Firmoss, integrative taxonomy, micromorphology, phylogenomics

Huperzia crassifolia sp. nov.
A, B habit C adaxial view of trophophyll D abaxial view of trophophyll E fertile portion of the shoot F gemmae

 (Photographed by Zhi-You Guo). 

 Illustration of Huperzia crassifolia sp. nov.
 A habit B adaxial view of trophophyll with prominently raised veins and serrate margin.

Drawn by Mr. Ying-Bao Sun based on the type specimen Zhi-You Guo 2016022 (QNUN).

 Huperzia crassifolia W.M.Chu & B.Y.Zhang ex Z.Y.Guo, sp. nov.

 

Diagnosis: Huperzia crassifolia resembled species H. javanica in its gross morphology, but can be easily distinguished by the thicker texture and round-lanceolate pinnae. The well differentiated seasonal constriction zones, as well as the dark-green colour of the pinnae, provide further distinctions to species with similar morphology.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to its thick and coriaceous texture of the pinnae.

Vernacular name: 厚叶石杉 (Chinese pinyin: hou ye shi shan).

Zhi-You Guo, Hong-Mei Liu, Kai-Kai Wang, Tao Fujiwara, Zheng-Yu Liu, Xian-Chun Zhang and Harald Schneider. 2024. Huperzia crassifolia (Lycopodiaceae), A New Species from China based on morphological characters and molecular evidence.  PhytoKeys. 246: 27-42. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.246.131046