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| Hiptage stenopterum K.Tan & M.X.Ren, in Zhang, Yang, Tan et Ren, 2023. |
Abstract
Hiptage stenopterum K.Tan & M.X.Ren, a new species of Hiptage collected from a deep valley close to the Nujiang Gorge, northwest of Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated based on molecular and morphological data. The new species was found isolated in an entrenched valley of the Laowo River, a tributary of the Nujiang River, at the northern edge of the distribution range of the genus. H. stenopterum shares some morphological similarities with the narrowly endemic H. incurvatum and H. lushuiensis. However, H. stenopterum is easily distinguished by its oblanceolate lateral wing of winged mericarp, 10 to 12 calyx glands, and branchlets densely rusty tomentose. The new species status is also supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS), which showed distinct systematic boundaries from the most morphologically similar species, H. incurvatum and their morphological relatives, H. lushuiensis.
Key words: Flora of Yunnan, Hengduan Mountains, Hiptage, Malpighiaceae, taxonomy
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| Hiptage stenopterum A habit B flowering branch C flower in side view D flowers in frontal view E–G calyx glands (E calyx glands with secretions attracting ants) H young branch (showing densely rusty tomentose) I petals J winged mericarp K young leaf. Photos A, B by M.X. Ren, E by T.T. Zhang, and C, D, F–K by K. Tan. |
Hiptage stenopterum K.Tan & M.X.Ren, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Hiptage stenopterum is most similar to H. incurvatum K.Tan & M.X.Ren by branchlets densely rusty tomentose (vs white to grey sericeous), leaf blades with 2 glands near the base (vs 10–16 glands), 10(-12) calyx glands [vs 4 (-6)], the posterior lateral wing oblanceolate (vs ovate), anterior lateral wings straight, lanceolate to linear (vs arcuate back to the middle, lanceolate).
Etymology: Its specific epithet reflects the long and narrow mericarp wings of Hiptage stenopterum.
Vernacular name: Chinese: 狭翅风筝果(xiá chì fēng zhēng guǒ). The name’ xiá chì’ means its long and narrow wings, and ‘fēng zhēng gǔo’ is the Chinese name of Hiptage.
Tong-Tong Zhang, Shu-Yun Yang, Ke Tan and Ming-Xun Ren. 2023. A New Species of Hiptage (Malpighiaceae) from northwest Yunnan (China) based on Molecular and Morphological Data. PhytoKeys. 232: 45-57. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.232.106675
