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| Primula wolongensis W.B.Ju, Bo Xu & X.F.Gao, in Li, Cheng, Lin, Chen, Gao, ... Ju et Xu, 2023. |
Abstract
This paper describes and illustrates a new species of Primulaceae, Primula wolongensis sp. nov. from Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province, China. It is very rare and currently only known from its type locality. The new species belongs to subsection Chartacea of the section Petiolares on account of lacking bud scales at flowering, being efarinose and having distinct petiolate leaves with more or less rounded lamina. The new species can be differentiated from other members of the subsection by leaf blade margin dentate, and leaf veins which are not raised, scape shorter than or equal to pedicels, yellow flowers and location of stamens of the corolla tube at thrum flower. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) demonstrated that P. wolongensis was sister to subgen. Auriculastrum. Primula wolongensis is currently known from a single location in Wolong Town, and its conservation status is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).
Keywords: Hengduan Mountains, morphological characters, phylogenetic analysis, Primula sect. Petiolares, taxonomy
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| Primula wolongensis sp. nov. A habitat B habit C whole plant D roots and second-year buds E leaves F bracts G scape H thrum flower I pin flower J calyx in fruit K capsule. |
Primula wolongensis W.B.Ju, Bo Xu & X.F.Gao, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Amongst the Chinese members of subsect. Chartacea, the new species is easily recognized by the following combination of characters: leaf blade margin dentate, leaf veins which are not raised, scape which is shorter or equal with pedicel, corolla yellow and location of stamens of the corolla tube at thrum flower. The new species is morphologically similar to P. arunachalensis Basak & Maiti and P. fenghwaiana C.M.Hu & G.Hao, but can be easily distinguished from P. arunachalensis by its shorter rootstocks, petioles 3–5× as long as leaf blade (versus 1–2× as long as leaf blade), reticulation of veins obscure on both surfaces (versus veins slightly impressed adaxially and conspicuous abaxially), corolla lobes apex emarginate (versus corolla lobes margin denticulate to lacerate), heterostylous (versus homostylous). Compared with P. fenghwaiana, the difference of the new species is the petioles 3–5× as long as the leaf blade (versus ca.2/3 the length of the leaf blade), leaf blade base cordate (versus base broadly cuneate to almost rounded), leaf blade margin irregular dentate (versus margin remotely denticulate), scapes and pedicels sparsely short-stalked glandular (versus densely covered with minute glandular hairs), corollas yellow (versus pink to white), the position of stamens at thrum flower tube on the middle (versus on the apex).
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Wolong National Nature Reserve.
Vernacular name: A Chinese name, wo long bao chun (卧龙报春), is suggested here.
Distribution and habitat: The species has so far only been found at its type locality in Wolong Town, Wenchuan county, Sichuan Province. It grows in the cracks of steep wet cliffs covered with moss above the tree-line.
Xiong Li, Yue-Hong Cheng, Hong-Qiang Lin, Cheng Chen, Xin-Fen Gao, Heng-Ning Deng, Feng Yu, Plenković-Moraj Anđelka, Wen-Bin Ju and Bo Xu. 2023. Primula wolongensis (Primulaceae), A New Species of the Primrose from Sichuan, China. PhytoKeys. 218: 47-57. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.218.91161
