[Botany • 2024] Ophiorrhiza liuyanii (Rubiaceae) • A New Species from south-western China and northern Vietnam

Ophiorrhiza liuyanii L.Wu, Y.H.Tan & K.S.Nguyen,

in Liu, Liao, Ye, Tan, Nguyen, Thien et Wu, 2024. 

宽翅蛇根草  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.248.135078 

Abstract

Ophiorrhiza liuyanii, a new species from south-western China and northern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterised by the glabrous surfaces on almost all plant parts, congested inflorescences and broad-ovate to ovate bracts 9–22 × 4–11 mm. It morphologically differs from the closest species, O. baviensis, mainly in most plant parts being glabrous, bracts broad-ovate to ovate, apex acute or sometimes obtuse, corollas inside with a ring of white hairs at the middle and anthers inserted near the middle in long-styled flowers. According to IUCN Categories and Criteria, O. liuyanii is assessed as Least Concern (LC).

Key words: New taxon, Ophiorrhiza, Rubiaceae, taxonomy

Ophiorrhiza liuyanii A habitat B habit C stipule D inflorescence in side view E inflorescences in different development stages F bracts from lower part to upper part of inflorescence G corollas in top view H longitudinally dissected long-styled flower I longitudinally dissected short-styled flower J infructescence in side view K infructescence in top view.
Ophiorrhiza alatiflora L habit M inflorescence in lateral view N infructescence.

Scale bars: 1 cm. Photos by L. Wu, X. W. Liao and K. S. Nguyen.

 Ophiorrhiza liuyanii L.Wu, Y.H.Tan & K.S.Nguyen, sp. nov.

 

Diagnosis: Morphologically similar to O. alatiflora and O. baviensis, but the new species differs from the former by its congested (vs. developing) inflorescences and infructescences, broad-ovate to ovate (vs. linear or linear-lanceolate) bracts, 4–11 (vs. 0.8–1.5) mm wide and from the latter by its glabrous (vs. densely pubescent or puberulent) peduncles, broad-ovate to ovate (vs. lanceolate) bracts, corollas tube inside with (vs. without) a ring of white hairs at the middle in long-styled flowers.

Etymology: The species epithet is named after Prof. Yan Liu, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has made great contributions to plant taxonomy in China.

Chinese name: 宽翅蛇根草 (kuan-chi-she-gen-cao).

 Chu-Yu Liu, Xiao-Wen Liao, Li-Chun Ye, Yun-Hong Tan, Khang Sinh Nguyen, Tran Duc Thien and Lei Wu. 2024. 2024. Ophiorrhiza liuyanii (Rubiaceae), A New Species from south-western China and northern Vietnam. PhytoKeys. 248: 199-206. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.248.135078