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48 Accepted by Peter Heenan: 2 Aug. 2013; published: 11 Oct. 2013
PHYTOTAXA
ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition)
ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition)
Copyright © 2013 Magnolia Press
Phytotaxa 137 (1): 48–52 (2013)
www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.137.1.5
Primulina qingyuanensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from limestone areas in
Guangdong, China
ZU-LIN NING1, JING WANG1, JAMES F. SMITH2 & MING KANG1*
1South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510650, China.
2Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, Idaho 83725 USA.
*corresponding author’s email: mingkang@scbg.ac.cn
Abstract
A new species, Primulina qingyuanensis from Guangdong, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to P. bicolor
(W.T. Wang) Mich. Möller & A. Weber, but differs from P. b i co l o r by several morphological characters, both vegetative
and reproductive.
Key words: Chirita, Chiritopsis, taxonomy
Introduction
Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have altered our concept of generic delimitations among Old World
members of Gesneriaceae and have verified that the large genus, Chirita Buchanan-Hamilton ex Don (1882:
83), is paraphyletic (Möller et al. 2011, Wang et al. 2011, Weber et al. 2011). Based on the phylogenetic
analysis of ITS and trnL-F sequences, all species of Chirita section Gibbosaccus Clarke (1883: 130),
Chiritopsis Wang (1981: 21), and two Wentsaiboea Fang & Qin (2004: 533) species, were incorporated into
Primulina Hance (1883: 169), which previously had only one species, P. tabacum Hance (1883: 169).
In the course of investigations of living collections of Gesneriaceae in north Guangdong , China, in
December 2011, we discovered an unrecognized Primulina species in a limestone cave near the town of
Shitan ( Qingxin County, Qingyuan City). We pressed some plants for herbarium specimens and collected
several living individuals for cultivation in the South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China. After
consulting relevant literature (Wang et al. 1990, 1998, Fang et al. 2004, Li et al. 2004, Wei et al. 2010, Liu et
al. 2010, Wen et al. 2012) as well as herbarium specimens, we concluded that our specimens represent a new
species of Primulina, which is described and illustrated here.
Primulina qingyuanensis Z. L. Ning & Ming Kang, sp. nov. (Fig.1–2)
Type:—CHINA. Guangdong: Qingyuan City, Qingxin county, Shitan Town, 24.15°N, 112.73°E, on limestone rock face
in a Karst cave; 16 Dec. 2011, Ming Kang etal QY11001(holotype: IBSC!).
Perennial herbs, acaulescent. Rhizome subterete, 1.5–2 cm long, ca.1 cm in diameter. Leaves 7–16, all basal.
Petiole 1.5–3 cm long, ca. 5 mm wide, pubescent; Leaf blade ovate or broadly ovate, often falcate, 5–10 × 4–
7 cm, herbaceous, apex acute to obtuse, base broadly cuneate, margin irregularly repand-crenate to serrate and
revolute, both surfaces densely glandular manicate; lateral veins 4 or 5 on each side of the midrib, impressed
adaxially and prominent abaxially. Cymes 4–7, 1–3–branched, 3–9-flowered; peduncle 9–14 cm long, pubescent;
Phytotaxa 137 (1) © 2013 Magnolia Press • 49
PRIMULINA QINGYUANENSIS (GESNERIACEAE), A NEW SPECIES
FIGURE 1. Primulina qingyuanensis. A. Habit. B. Bracts. C. Pistil. D. Stigma. E. Flower side view. F. Stamens. G. Capsule. H.
Corolla opened showing stamens and staminodes. Illustration by Yun-Xiao Liu, based on the holotype.
bracts 2, opposite, oblanceolate, often falcate, 2–3.5 × 0.3–0.6 cm, margin entire, apex long acuminate,
pubescent. Pedicel 1.5–2.5 cm long, pubescent. Calyx 5-lobed nearly to the base, linear-lanceolate or
narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 8–10 × ca. 1 mm, margin entire, outside densely pubescent, inside sparsely
puberulent. Corolla purplish, 1.9–2.4 cm long, sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside; tube narrowly
funnelform, 1.5–1.6 cm long, orifice 6–8 mm in diameter; adaxial lip distinctly 2-lobed, 1/4–1/3 of total
corolla length, lobes triangular-ovate, 5–7 × 5–6 mm, apex obtuse; abaxial lip 3-lobed, 1/3 to 2/5 of total
corolla length, lobes oblong, 7–9 × 5–6 mm, held in more or less the same plane as the corolla tube and
appearing as an extension of the tube, lobe apices rounded. Fertile stamens 2, adnate to ca.7 mm above the
base of the corolla tube; filaments geniculate near the middle, 7–8 mm long, densely purple piloglandulose,
NING ET AL.50 • Phytotaxa 137 (1) © 2013 Magnolia Press
anthers flabellate, glabrous. Staminodes 2, 4–5 mm long, glabrous, slightly enlarged at apex, adnate ca. 5 mm
above the base of the corolla tube. Disc annular, ca. 0.5 mm high, glabrous, margin repand. Pistil ca. 1.3 cm
long; ovary linear, 4–5 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely glandular-pubescent; style 8–10 mm long,
densely glandular-pubescent; stigma cuneate, ca. 1 mm, 2-lobed. Capsule linear, ca. 1 cm long, 1.5–2 mm in
diameter, slightly curved, pubescent. Flowering occurs in May.–Jul. Fruiting in Jul.–Aug.
FIGURE 2. Primulina qingyuanensis. A. The frontal view of flower. B. Corolla opened showing stamens and staminodes. C. Flower
abaxial view. D. Flower side view. E. Flower adaxial view. F, I. Stamens side view. G. Bracts. H. Pistil. J. Calyx. K. Plant cultivated
SCBG. L. Habit.
Distribution and habitat:—Primulina qingyuanensis is a narrow endemic currently known only from
one population on moist rock faces in a single Karst cave, near the town of Shitan, Qingxin County, Qingyuan
City, Northern Guangdong, China. During field surveys in Qingyuan, we found that the population size is
small. It is estimated that the number of individuals is no more than 100 plants. We propose that Primulina
qingyuanensis should be considered as ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR) according to IUCN Red List and criteria
(IUCN 2001). At present, we have introduced some individuals from the field population into cultivation in
the South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China.
Phenology:—Flowering occurs in May.–Jul. and fruiting occurs in Jul.–Aug.
Relationships:—Primulina qingyuanensis is similar to P. bicolor (Wang 1985: 59) Möller & Weber
(2011: 781), but differs by the leaf blades that are ovate or broadly ovate, bracts oblanceolate, often falcate, 2–
3.5 × 0.3–0.6 cm, apex long acuminate, corolla glabrous inside, 1.8–2.4 cm long, tube 1.5–1.6 cm long, orifice
6–8 mm in diameter, adaxial lip 2-lobed triangular-ovate, 5–6 × ca. 5 mm, abaxial lip 3-lobed oblong, 7–9 ×
3–4 mm; filaments of fertile stamens densely purple piloglandulose, anthers flabellate, glabrous, and
staminodes 2, glabrous. A detailed morphological comparison of the two species is shown in Table 1.
Phytotaxa 137 (1) © 2013 Magnolia Press • 51
PRIMULINA QINGYUANENSIS (GESNERIACEAE), A NEW SPECIES
Etymology:—The specific epithet is derived from the name of the type locality, Qingyuan City,
Guangdong province, China.
TABLE 1 . Morphological comparison of P. qingyuanensis and P. bicolor.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (31270427), and the Foundation of
Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden,
Chinese Academy of Sciences (211023). We thank Prof. Zhen-yu Li for his comments. We also thank Yun-
Xiao Liu for the illustration.
References
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Characters P. qingyuanensis P. bicolor
Leaf blade ovate or broadly ovate, herbaceous, narrowly oblong to narrowly elliptic, papery
Leave margin margin irregularly repand-crenate to serrate and
revolute
entire
Leave base broadly cuneate attenuate
Bracts oblanceolate, often falcate,
2–3.5 × 0.3–0.6 cm, apex long acuminate
linear, 0.5–1.2 cm long
Corolla glabrous inside, 1.8–2.4 cm long, pubescent inside under the stamens, ca. 3.6 cm
long
Corolla tube 1.5–1.6 cm long, orifice 6–8 mm in diameter ca. 2.2 cm long, orifice ca.10 mm in diameter
Corolla lobes adaxial lip 2-lobed triangular-ovate, abaxial lip
3-lobesd oblong
adaxial lip 2-lobed and abaxial lip 3-lobed
rounded
Fertile stamens filaments with densely purple piloglandulose,
anthers flabellate, glabrous
filaments glabrous; anthers elliptic, abaxially
densely brown bearded
Staminods 2, glabrous absent
Flowering May.–July. Only Apr.
NING ET AL.52 • Phytotaxa 137 (1) © 2013 Magnolia Press
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