Wednesday, June 15, 2022

[Botany • 2022] Primula xinningensis (Primulaceae) • A New Species from Karst Caves in Hunan, China


Primula xinningensis Wei Zhang, Zhang & J.W.Shao,

in Zhang, Zhang & Shao, 2022.  
新宁羽叶报春 ||  DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.199.85231

Abstract
Primula xinningensis Wei Zhang bis & J.W.Shao, a new species from Hunan Province, China, is described. Its leaf morphology is similar to the P. merrilliana complex and flower morphology similar to P. cicutariifolia, but it can be distinguished from the former by the black pollen sac, corolla lobes apex obviously emarginate and can be differed from the latter by cotyledon triangular obovate, plants densely covered with glandular hairs and special habitat (karst caves). The whole plastid genome of this new species is 151, 601–151, 630 bp in length. Based on the whole plastid genome sequences, phylogenetic trees revealed that the new species did not genetically relate to the above two mentioned morphologically similar species, but it was closely related to P. hubeiensis. Currently, only three populations were discovered within a small distribution area, thus, it is preliminarily considered as Vulnerable (VU) according to criteria of the IUCN Red List.

Keywords: Homostyly, P. cicutariifolia, P. hubeiensis, P. merrilliana complex, section Ranunculoides

Holotype of  Primula xinningensis Wei Zhang bis & J.W.Shao, sp. nov.

Living images of Primula xinningensis sp. nov.
A, D habitat B, C plant in seedling E plant in flowering. 

  

 Morphological characters of  Primula xinningensis sp. nov.
 A, B longitudinally dissected of floral tube C infructescence D, F leaves morphology E opened capsule and seeds G leaf surface glandular hairs H leaf margin glandular hairs I rachis glandular hairs.

 Primula xinningensis Wei Zhang bis & J.W.Shao, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Cotyledon triangular obovate, leaves and scape densely covered with short glandular hairs, flowers long homostyled, corolla lobe apices conspicuously emarginate, pollen sac black.

Chinese name: Xīn níng yǔ yè bào chūn (新宁羽叶报春).

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘xinningensis’ refers to the locality, Xinning County, Hunan, China.
 

Wei Zhang, Yu Zhang and Jian Wen Shao. 2022.  Primula xinningensis (Primulaceae), A New Species from Karst Caves in Hunan, China. PhytoKeys. 199: 155-166. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.199.85231