[Botany • 2024] Petrocodon leveilleanus • Re-discovery and Taxonomic Clarification of Oreocharis leveilleana (Gesneriaceae) in Guizhou, China, over 100 years

Petrocodon leveilleanus (Fedde) X.X.Bai & F.Wen,

in Xiong, He, Zhou, Wen et Bai, 2024. 

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.242.115955

Abstract

Oreocharis leveilleana Fedde was collected in Ta-pin in 1910 and published in 1911. The collected location was verified within western Luodian County, Guizhou Province, China. However, there have been no records of the species’ collection for more than 100 years since then. After extensive investigations by our research team on the type locality and its surrounding areas, we found that it is widely distributed in western Luodian County and eastern Wangmo County, Guizhou Province, China. During further research on the original literature, type specimens and type locality of O. leveilleana, the taxonomic position of O. leveilleana, which was once treated as a synonym of O. auricula (S.Moore) C.B.Clarke, was found to have a taxonomic problem. Through morphological research combined with geographical distribution analysis, it has been determined that it should belong to the genus Petrocodon Hance and it is the same species as P. coccineus (C.Y.Wu ex H.W.Li) Yin Z.Wang. According to the regulations and suggestions of the 2018 "International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (Shenzhen Code)", we propose and confirm a new combination – Petrocodon leveilleanus (Fedde) X.X.Bai & F.Wen and treat P. coccineus as a synonym of the new combination. Due to its unique bright red flowers within Petrocodon, its original Chinese name has been retained.

Key words: Oreocharis, Petrocodon, Petrocodon coccineus, new combination, synonym

Petrocodon leveilleanus
A plant B bracts C leaves D corolla E peduncle F dissected flower G Pistil H Sepals

(photographs by Xin-Xiang Bai).

 Petrocodon leveilleanus (Fedde) X.X.Bai & F.Wen, comb. nov.

 

Oreocharis leveilleana Fedde, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 10: 64. 1911. 

– O. esquirolii H.Lév., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Berlin. 9: 447. 1911 [non Léveillé (1911b: 329)]. 

Type: China, Guizhou: Ta-pin, March 1910, Joseph Henri Esquriol 2051 (E: holotype, E00067459).

= Petrocodon coccineus (C.Y.Wu ex H.W.Li) Yin Z.Wang, J. Syst. Evol. 49(1): 60. 2011. syn. nov. 

– Calcareoboea coccinea C.Y.Wu ex H.W.Li, Acta Bot. Yunnan. 4(3): 243. 1982. 

Type: China, Yunnan: Xichou, Gankou, 26 May 1964, C.S. Wang 463 (KUN: holotype, KUN1219117).

Chinese Vernacular name: 朱红苣苔 (Zhū Hóng Jù Tái).

Distribution and habitat: Luodian County, Wangmo County, Libo County and Zhenning County of Guizhou Province, as well as in the southeastern Yunnan Province and the southwestern and northern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China and northern Vietnam. The species grow on wet rocks under the forest canopy at an elevation of 500–1500 m.

 Xiao-Kai Xiong, Song-Tao He, Yu-Lu Zhou, Fang Wen and Xin-Xiang Bai. 2024. Re-discovery and Taxonomic Clarification of Oreocharis leveilleana (Gesneriaceae) in Guizhou, China, over 100 years. PhytoKeys. 242: 21-29. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.242.115955