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| Illicium nymphiiflorum Q. Lin & Y.M. Shui, in Chen, Lin, Li, Zhang et Shui, 2026. Illicium |
Abstract
Illicium nymphiiflorum Q. Lin & Y.M. Shui sp. nova (Schisandraceae) is described from China. It especially resembles I. viridiflorum from South Vietnam in being cauliflorous and in having similar greenish-white flowers and single-seriate stamens. It differs, e.g., in leaf shape (obovate vs. elliptic), apex of the innermost petals (acute vs. obtuse), arrangement of stamens (vertical vs. horizontal) and number of follicles (12–14 vs. 4–8). It also resembles I. stapfii, from which it differs in several floral characters. According to IUCN categories and criteria, I. nymphiiflorum is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR).
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| General morphology of Illicium nymphiiflorum. A: Trunk and flowers. — B: Close-up of the flowers. — C: Open flower and its visitor, a species of hoverfly. — D: Flowers on a young shoot. — E: Pseudowhorled or subopposite leaves. — F and G: Adaxial leaf surface. — H and I: Abaxial leaf surface. Prepared by Chong Yang, from the holotype. All except G and I photographed in Maguan County, Yunnan, China, on 17 October 2022. |
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| Reproductive morphology of Illicium nymphiiflorum. A: Flowers on the trunk. — B: Buds and lateral view of the flowers. — C: Back view of a flower. — D: Lateral view of a flower. — E: Front view of a flower. — F: Outermost petals. — G: Intermediate and innermost petals. — H: Stamens. — I: Flower and dry fruit. Prepared by Chong Yang, from the holotype. A–E photographed in Maguan County, Yunnan, China, on 17 October 2022. |
Illicium nymphiiflorum Q. Lin & Y.M. Shui, sp. nova
Etymology. The specific epithet nymphiiflorum refers to the flowers, which resemble those of Nymphaea.
Wen-Hong Chen, Qi Lin, Guo-Yun Li, Jin-Guo Zhang and Yu-Min Shui. 2026. Illicium nymphiiflorum (Schisandraceae), a New Cauliflorous Species from Yunnan, China. Annales Botanici Fennici. 62(1); 43-47. DOI: doi.org/10.5735/085.063.0107 (13 March 2026)