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| Chelonopsis guchengensis X.Q.Liu, Z.C.Wei, Y.H.Xu, Y.X.Chen & J.Wen, in Xu, Wei, Fu, Xiang, Deng, H. Liu, Chen, Wen et X. Liu, 2025. |
Abstract
Chelonopsis is a small genus endemic to East Asia. In this study, a new species, C. guchengensis, from Nanhe National Nature Reserve, Gucheng County, Hubei Province is described and illustrated. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on two nuclear ribosomal DNA regions (ETS and ITS) and five plastid DNA markers (trnL intron, trnL-trnF, trnS-trnG, psbA-trnH, and rps16) were carried out to explore the phylogenetic position of the new species. A close relationship between the new species and C. giraldii is supported by molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence. However, the two species can be easily distinguished from each other by mostly leaf and inflorescence morphology.
Key words: Central China, Gomphostemmateae, Lamioideae, molecular phylogeny, taxonomy
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| Chelonopsis guchengensis A habit B flower C front view of flower D internal view of corolla E pistil, stamens and bracteoles F front and back views of the blades G flower bud H front view of sepal. |
Chelonopsis guchengensis X.Q.Liu, Z.C.Wei, Y.H.Xu, Y.X.Chen & J.Wen, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. The new species is morphologically similar to C. giraldii but differs in having longer and wider leaves (ca. 2–10 cm × 1–5 cm vs ca. 2.5–4 cm × 1.8–2.5 cm), and different leaf shapes (leaf shape oblong-ovoid, base attenuate, margin serrate, apex caudate vs leaf shape ovate, base truncate, margin crenate, apex obtuse in C. giraldii) (Fig. 4). The main differences between C. guchengensis and other plants in the genus are as follows: leaf shape oblong-ovoid (vs lanceolate in C. chekiangensis and ovate in C. rosea and C. mollissima); usually 2-flowered, pedicel length 1.5 cm (vs 3-flowered or more, pedicel tight and nearly sessile in C. abbreviata); bracteoles linear-lanceolate, ca. 1.5 cm long (vs bracteole conspicuous, leaf lanceolate, ca. 2.5 cm long in C. bracteata); corolla purplish red (vs yellow in C. lichiangensis, C. odontochila and milky yellow in C. souliei); and calyx apex acuminate (vs gradually aristate in C. forrestii).
Etymology. The new species is named after Gucheng County in Hubei, China where it is distributed. The Chinese name is given as“谷城铃子香”.
Yuhan Xu, Zhengcai Wei, Qiang Fu, Chunlei Xiang, Zhengqun Deng, Houchao Liu, Yuxing Chen, Jun Wen and Xiuqun Liu. 2025. Chelonopsis guchengensis, A New Species of Lamiaceae from Hubei Province in Central China. PhytoKeys. 253: 331-342. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.253.145834
