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| Hypericum liboense M.T.An & T.R.Wu, in Wu, Xu, An, Yu, Liu et Chen, 2024. |
Abstract
Hypericum liboense M.T.An & T.R.Wu, sp. nov. (Hypericaceae) is a newly described species found in the Maolan National Nature Reserve of Guizhou Province, where it grows in rocky habitats without soil on karst mountain tops. In this study, key morphological characters were compared between the new species and the other known Hypericum species of Hypericaceae. DNA sequences were extracted from the leaves of the new species, with nuclear gene sequences (ITS) generated to reconstruct phylogenetic trees and describe its phylogenetic position in relation to other species of Hypericum. Our results show that the proposed new species has the typical characteristics of the genus Hypericum in morphology being similar to Hypericum monogynum, but differing in its sessile and semi-clasped leaves, long elliptical to long circular leaf blades, thickly papery to thinly leathery, with entire and wavy leaf margins. The abaxial side of the leaves is covered with white powder, giving them a grey-white appearance. The main lateral veins of the leaves are 8–15-paired, and the midvein on both sides is convex. The main lateral veins and midvein branch are conspicuous, with tertiary venation forming a network on the leaf surface and appearing prominently sunken. The inflorescences are 1–3-flowered, with a large calyx and conspicuous veins. The molecular phylogenetic analysis (PP = 1.00) provided substantial evidence for the proposition of H. liboense as a new species within Hypericum. Morphological and molecular evidence is presented, corroborating the proposition of the new species, including a comprehensive account of the distinctive morphological attributes of H. liboense, along with its key distinguishing features from similar species.
Key words: Molecular evidence, morphology, phylogeny, taxonomy
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| Hypericum liboense A habitat B flower (a) undulating leaf margins C flower anatomy (a) petal (b) stamens (c) pistil (d) calyx (e) anther (f) gland D H. liboense branch with flowers E stylus F veins and glandular points of calyx G leaf blade half-clasping twig H abaxial side of calyx I blade J veins and glands K anatomy of fructus (a) whole fructus (b) longitudinal section of fructus (c) cross-section of fructus |
Hypericum liboense M.T.An & T.R.Wu, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: This species is similar to H. monogynum in terms of morphology. The main difference between the two species is that the leaves of H. liboense are sessile and semi-clasped (vs. leaves sessile or brachypetiolate). The leaves of H. liboense are long elliptical to long circular, and the edges are whole and wavy (vs. oblanceolate or elliptic to long circular, flat). H. liboense leaves are thickly papery to thinly leathery (vs. thickly papery), with a white powder on the abaxial side leading to a grey-white appearance (vs. abaxially without grey). Main lateral veins of leaves 8–15 pairs (vs. 4–6 pairs), with the midvein on both sides convex, the main lateral veins obvious branches from the midvein, the main lateral veins and tertiary vein forming an obvious network and obviously sagging (vs. tertiary vein obscure and not sunken). Inflorescences with 1–3 flowers (vs. 1–15(–30) flowers), calyx are elliptic or broad-ovate (vs. broad or narrowly elliptic or oblong to lanceolate or oblanceolate), 10–14 mm long, 4–6 mm wide (vs. 4.5–13 mm long and 1.2–2 mm wide), and veins obvious (vs. obscure) (Table 2).
Etymology: The species name “liboense” refers to the origin of the type specimen, Libo County, Guizhou Province.
Tian-Rou Wu, Jian Xu, Ming-Tai An, Jiang-Hong Yu, Feng Liu and Zheng-Ren Chen. 2024. Hypericum liboense (Hypericaceae), A New Species from Guizhou, China. PhytoKeys. 237: 37-49. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.237.110482