Friday, October 29, 2021

[Botany • 2021] Oreocharis reticuliflora (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from southeastern Sichuan, China


Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, 

in Yang & Shi, 2021.
 
Abstract
Based on morphological observation and literature consultation, a new species of Oreocharis (Gesneriaceae), O. reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, is described and illustrated. This new species resembles O. auricula, but differs by its conspicuous and reticular secondary veins, corolla with a network of violet stripes on each lip lobe, glandular-pubescent ovary, shorter capsule and being densely brown woolly on the abaxial leaf surface, outside of bracts and calyx lobes. A detailed morphological description and photographic illustration of the new species are presented.

Keywords: Flora of Sichuan, morphology, new taxon, taxonomy


Figure 1. Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, sp. nov.
(A) habit, (B) front view of flower, (C) side view of flower, (D, G) opened corolla showing stamens and staminodes, (E) inflorescence, (F) pistil and calyx. Red arrows show the staminode.
Photo credit: Li-Hua Yang.

Figure 2. Holotype of Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z.Shi, sp. nov.

Figure 3. Oreocharis reticuliflora (A-C, E-G) and O. auricula (D, H-J).
(A) Habitat, (B) fruit, (C-D) habit, (E, H) front view of flower, (F, I) side view of flower, (G, J) abaxial leaf surface.
Photo credit: Li-Hua Yang.

Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, sp. nov.

A species that mainly differs from Oreocharis auricula (S. Moore) C.B. Clarke by its conspicuous and reticular secondary veins on the abaxial leaf surface (versus inconspicuous), corolla with a network of violet stripes on each lip lobe (versus without such color pattern), glandular-pubescent ovary (versus glabrous), shorter capsule (ca 2 cm long versus ca 4.5 cm long) and by being densely brown woolly on the abaxial leaf surface, outside of bracts and calyx lobes (versus sparely brown villous).

Etymology: The specific epithet, reticuliflora, is derived from the Latin words, reticulum and flora, referring to the network of violet stripes on corolla limb of this new species.
 Vernacular name: In Chinese mandarin ‘Wang Wen Ma Ling Ju Tai' (网纹马铃苣苔).


Figure 4. The species with similar leaves of Oreocharis reticuliflora.
(A) O. benthamii var. reticulata, (B) O. maximowiczii, (C) O. tubiflora,
(D) O. flavida, (E) O. dasyantha, (F) O. sinohenryi,
(G) O. jasminina, (H) O. xiangguiensis, (I) O. chienii.
Photo credit: (A-G) Li-Hua Yang; (H-I) Peng-Wei Li.

    


 Li-Hua Yang and Xi-Zuo Shi. 2021. Oreocharis reticuliflora (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from southeastern Sichuan, China. Nordic Journal of Botany.  DOI: 10.1111/njb.03322