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| Liparis meihuashanensis S. M. Fan Fan, Liu, Zhai, Yang & Huang, 2017. |
Abstract
A new orchid species, Liparis meihuashanensis, from Fujian, China is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular analyses. Detailed morphological comparisons indicate that L. meihuashanensis is similar to L. auriculata and L. pauliana, but it can be distinguished from them by the shorter inflorescence, triangular floral bract, and a lip with a truncate-emarginate and mucronate apex and 2 small subconical calli on contracted base. Molecular analyses based on nuclear ITS and plastid matK DNA sequence data support the L. meihuashanensis as a distinct species.
Keywords: Chinese orchid, Orchidaceae, Malaxideae, Malaxidinae, widelip orchid
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| FIGURE 3. Liparis meihuashanensis S. M. Fan. A. Flowering plant (green flower). B. Pseudobulbs. C. Flower (purple flower), front view. D. Lip (green flower). E. Column. F. Anther cap and pollinarium. G. Fruit. |
Liparis meihuashanensis S. M. Fan, sp. nov.
Type:— China. Fujian: National Nature Reserve of the Meihuashan of Fujian, on mossy rock, alt. 1770 m, 2 May 2016, S. M. Fan 2016015 (holotype: Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; isotype: NOCC).
The new species is similar to L. auriculata Blume ex Miquel (1886: 203) and L. pauliana Handel-Mazzetti (1921: 65), but it can be distinguished from them by the shorter inflorescence (4.0–5.5 cm), triangular floral bracts, a lip with a truncate-emarginate and mucronate apex and 2 small subconical calli on contracted base.
Distribution and habitat:— Liparis meihuashanensis is only known from the National Nature Reserve of Meihuashan in Fujian, China (Fig. 3). The plants grow on the mossy rock on the edge of evergreen forest. Pleione formosana was found growing together with this new species.
Etymology:— The specific name refers to the Natural Reserve of Meihuashan where the new species was found.
Shi-Ming Fan, Jiang-Feng Liu, Jun-Wen Zhai, Cheng-Zi Yang and Ze-Hao Huang. 2017. Liparis meihuashanensis, A New Orchid Species from Fujian, China: Evidence from Morphological and Molecular Analyses. Phytotaxa. 323(2); 182–188. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.323.2.6