Saturday, October 29, 2022

[Botany • 2022] Impatiens yunlingensis (Balsaminaceae) • A New Species from Yunnan, China


Impatiens yunlingensis S.X. Yu, Chang Y. Xia & J.H. Yu,  

in Yu, Zhang, Qin, Xia, ... et Yu, 2022. Impatiens 

Abstract
Impatiens yunlingensis S.X. Yu, Chang Y. Xia & J.H. Yu (Balsaminaceae), a species new to science discovered in Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated here, along with its phylogenetic position among other Impatiens species. Morphological, micro-morphological and molecular evidence is presented as an attestation of its novelty. Impatiens yunlingensis is similar to I. delavayi in having coarsely crenate leave margins, bracts in the upper part, ca. 4/5 length of the pedicels, saccate lower sepal with shallowly bifid spur, linear capsules, and elliptic-oblong, tuberculate seeds, but differs from I. delavayi with lateral sepals 4 (vs. 2), lateral united petal basal lobes subtriangular (vs. dolabriform), and seeds’ surface equipped with tubercular ornamentation mostly covered with grain shaped appendages (vs. glabrous and without grain shaped appendages on the top).

Keywords: Morphology, phylogeny, pollen grains, seed micromorphology, taxonomy

Impatiens yunlingensis S.X. Yu, Chang Y. Xia & J.H. Yu, sp. nov. 
A branch with leaves, flowers and capsules B flower, front view C flower, lateral view D outer lateral sepal E inner lateral sepal F lower sepal G dorsal petal H lateral united petals (H1) basal lobe (H2) distal lobe I filaments and anthers J capsules
 (Drawing by Wen-Hong Lin).

A–F Impatiens yunlingensis A habitat B plant C branch with flower D flower, front view E flower, lateral view F flower anatomy (a) dorsal petal (b) lateral united petals (c) outer lateral sepal (d) inner lateral sepal (e) lower sepal (f) filaments and anthers 
Impatiens delavayi branch with flowers H Impatiens delavayi flower.


 Impatiens yunlingensis S.X. Yu, Chang Y. Xia & J.H. Yu, sp. nov.
 
Diagnosis: Similar to I. delavayi Franchet, in having coarsely crenate leave margin, bracts in the upper part, ca. 4/5 length of the pedicels, saccate lower sepal with shallowly bifid spur, but differs from I. delavayi with lateral sepals 4 (vs. 2) and lateral united petal basal lobes subtriangular (vs. dolabriform).

Distribution and ecology: This species is only known to be found in Dêqên County, Yunnan, China (Fig. 3); under evergreen broadleaf forests and along the river; alt. 1780–2500 m.
 
Etymology: The specific epithet ‘yunlingensis’ refers to the locality of the type specimen, Yunling Township, Dêqên County, Yunnan, China.


Jiang-Hong Yu, Wen-Di Zhang, Fei Qin, Chang-Ying Xia, Ying Qin, Ming-Tai An, Sudhindra R. Gadagkar and Sheng-Xiang Yu. 2022. Impatiens yunlingensis (Balsaminaceae), A New Species from Yunnan, China. PhytoKeys. 212: 13-27.  DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.212.89347