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| Sinocrassula obliquifolia Jing Zhao, J.Guan Wang & X.M.Zhou, in Li, Zhao, Fang, Huang, Luo, He, Zhou et Wang, 2025. |
Abstract
Based on a comprehensive morphological and molecular data analysis, we have confirmed and described a new species within the genus Sinocrassula, which is distributed in Sichuan Province, China. Morphologically, the new species resembles Sinocrassula diversifolia and S. indica, but it is distinctly different from them in its asymmetrical leaves, leaf apex with glands, triangular petals that are white at the base and adorned with dense purple-red stripes and spots on the surfaces upward, and rectangular nectar scales. A phylogenetic analysis utilizing four plastid markers and one nuclear marker supports the conclusion that the new species is sister to S. ganluoensis.
Key words: Hengduan mountains, phylogeny, rosette, species diversity, taxonomy
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| Sinocrassula obliquifolia A, B habit C, D flowers E stamen F, G petals H carpel I sepal J nectar scale K basal leaves L stem leaves M gland of basal leaf N leaves that abscise and bud during the flowering period, left: basal leaf, right: stem leaf. |
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| Sinocrassula obliquifolia A habitat B, C habit. |
Sinocrassula obliquifolia Jing Zhao, J.Guan Wang & X.M.Zhou, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Sinocrassula obliquifolia is similar to S. indica in having rosette, ovoid carpels, and broadly triangular sepals. However, this new species has shorter flowering stem (10–18 cm) (vs. 5–60 cm in S. indica), lanceolate stem leaves (vs. oblanceolate to ovate-orbicular stem leaves in S. indica), triangular petals (vs. lanceolate to ovate petals in S. indica), petals with a white base adorned with dense purple-red stripes and spots on the surfaces upward (vs. red, reddish, yellow, or greenish-yellow in S. indica) and rectangle nectar scales (vs. quadrate in S. indica). S. obliquifolia is also similar to S. diversifolia in having corymbiform inflorescences, petals, and stamens with purple spots. However, S. obliquifolia has a well-defined rosette (vs. less defined rosette in S. diversifolia), monomorphic stem leaves (vs. dimorphic stem leaves in S. diversifolia), triangular petals with dense purple-red stripes and spots on the surfaces upward (vs. lanceolate petals that are yellow with purple spots in S. diversifolia) and rectangle nectar scales (vs. broadly quadrate in S. diversifolia).
Etymology. The epithet obliquifolia refers to the asymmetrical leaves of the basal leaves, a unique characteristic for this species within Sinocrassula. Its Chinese name is suggested as ‘斜叶石莲 (xie ye shi lian)’.
Rong-Juan Li, Jing Zhao, Shao-Li Fang, Chuan-Jie Huang, Miao Luo, Zhao-Rong He, Xin-Mao Zhou and Jia-Guan Wang. 2025. Sinocrassula obliquifolia (Crassulaceae), A New Species from China. PhytoKeys. 255: 103-112. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.255.142079
