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| Primulina nymphaeoides Y.G.Wei & W.C.Chou, |
Abstract
Primulina nymphaeoides, a new cave-dwelling species of Gesneriaceae from the limestone region of southwestern Guangxi, China is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is most similar to P. longzhouensis, but differs by having some easily distinguished characteristics, for example different leaf blade indumentum, obviously fewer flowers on one cyme, bigger flower size, and different stigma shape, and so on. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis of two DNA region ITS and trnL-F sequence including 179 taxa of Primulina s.l. has been provided. Both Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses show the similar supported tree topology, indicating that P. nymphaeoides is recovering as one of species in a phylogenetic polytomy closed to P. longzhouensis and other species. A Global Species Conservation Assessment classifies P. nymphaeoides as Critically Endangered (CR).
Keyword: Cave-dwelling, flora of Guangxi, ITS, Primulina, Primulina longzhouensis, limestone flora, taxonomy, trnL-trnF
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| Primulina nymphaeoides sp.nov. A: Habitat. B: Habit. C: Flower. D: The adaxial surface of leaf blades. E: The abaxial surface of leaf blades. F: Cyme. G: Corolla, pistil and calyx. H: Top view of corolla. I: Side view of corolla. J: Calyx. K: Opened corolla for showing stamens and staminodes. |
Primulina nymphaeoides Y.G.Wei & W.C.Chou, sp. nov.
靜蓮報春苣苔
Diagnosis: Primulina nymphaeoides is morphologically similar to P. longzhouensis, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by leaf blade adaxial surface densely puberulent and abaxial sparely puberulent (vs. appressed pilose on both surfaces), lateral veins 2–3 on each side of the midrib, but they are inconspicuous on the leaves of wild plants. (vs. inconspicuous), bracts lanceolate to narrowly oblong (vs. lanceolate), calyx lobes size 6–7 × 1.8–3 mm (vs. 3–4 × ca. 0.8 mm) and outside glandular-puberulent, inside glabrous (vs. outside glandular-puberulent, inside sparsely puberulent), corolla 22–27 mm long (vs. 10–14 mm long), corolla tube ca. 13 mm long (vs. 8–9 mm long) and adaxial lip ca. 6 × 4 mm, lobes slightly oblique ovate (vs. 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, lobes oblong or rounded), filaments ca. 8 long (vs. ca. 4 mm long), pistil ca. 16 mm long (vs. 7–9 mm long) and ovary ovoid (vs. narrowly ovoid) (Fig. S1)
Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the numerous rosette leaves of this species look like green water lily flower, especially after years of cultivation.
Distribution and Ecology: Primulina nymphaeoides is only found in Longzhou County, Chongzuo City, Guangxi, China. It only grows in the crevices or moist rock surface at the entrance of limestone cave (Fig. S4) in the subtropical evergreen seasonal rain forest at an altitude of ca. 324 m.
Zi-Meng Yang, Wei-Chuen Chou, Stephen Maciejewski and Yi-Gang Wei. 2023. Primulina nymphaeoides (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from Guangxi, China. Taiwania. 68(1); 44-50.
