Tuesday, July 1, 2025

[Botany • 2025] Paphiopedilum motuoense (Orchidaceae: Cypripedioideae) • A New Species from Motuo, Xizang, China


Paphiopedilum motuoense  M. N. Wang, F. X. Tang & W. H. Rao,

in Tang, Rao,  Zhang, Wu, M. Wang, Li, Chen, Duan et M.-N. Wang. 2025. 
墨脱兜兰  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.259.145861 

 Abstract
Paphiopedilum motuoense, a newly discovered orchid from Motuo County, Xizang, China, is described and illustrated. Paphiopedilum motuoense can be distinguished from the related Paphiopedilum species P. qingyongii and P. venustum by several distinctive features: a significantly smaller staminode above the column, a distinct purplish-red lip with purplish-brown veins, pouched with erect and triangular auriculas on both sides of its mouth, and leaves with pale green and pale yellowish-green tessellations. The novelty is also well supported as a new species by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Additionally, the complete chloroplast genome of P. motuoense, 157,218 bp in length, was assembled and annotated. It contains an LSC region of 86,275 bp, SSC region of 949 bp and two IRs of 34,997 bp, with 120 genes, including 76 PCGs, 36 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes.

Key words: China, new orchid species, Paphiopedilum motuoense, plastid genome

Paphiopedilum motuoense and its allies
a1–d1 Paphiopedilum motuoense a1 whole plant b1 leaf c1 flower d1 staminode.
a2–d2 P. venustum a2 whole plant b2 leaf c2 flower d2 staminode.
a3–d3 P. qingyongii a3 whole plant b3 leaf c3 flower d3 staminode.

Images of living plants of Paphiopedilum motuoense 
A whole plant B, C flower (side view and back view) D, E dorsal sepal (front view and back view) F, G synsepal (front view and back view) H, I petal (front view and back view) J–L lip (front view, side view and back view) M lip (vertical section) N ovary and column (with bract, synsepal and staminode) O–Q column (back view and side view) R, S staminode (front view and back view).

Paphiopedilum motuoense
  
A whole plant B, C flower (side view and back view) D, E dorsal sepal (front view and back view) F, G synsepal (front view and back view) H, I petal (front view and back view) J–L lip (front view, side view and back view) M lip (vertical section) N ovary and column (with bract, synsepal and staminode) O–Q column (back view and side view) R, S staminode (front view and back view).

 Paphiopedilum motuoense M. N. Wang, F. X. Tang & W. H. Rao, sp. nov.
  Chinese name. 墨脱兜兰

Diagnosis. Paphiopedilum motuoense is similar to P. venustum and P. qingyongii in morphology, but differs from them by having a smaller staminode, petals flushed with purplish red, a purplish red lip with purplish brown veins, pouched with erect and triangular auriculas on both sides of mouth, and leaves adaxially tessellated with pale green and pale yellowish green (Table 1, Fig. 1).


Feng-Xia Tang, Wen-Hui Rao, Ze Zhang, Xin-Yi Wu, Meng Wang, Jian Li, Jie-Shan Chen, Xiao-Juan Duan and Mei-Na Wang. 2025. Paphiopedilum motuoense (Orchidaceae, Cypripedioideae), A New Species from Motuo, Xizang, China. PhytoKeys. 259: 131-144. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.259.145861