Oreocharis glandulosa, a new species of Gesneriaceae from southern Yunnan, China

Abstract

Oreocharis glandulosa, a new species of Gesneriaceae from southern Yunnan, China, is here described and illustrated. It is similar to O. bodinieri in its corolla shape, but can be easily distinguished by its dense glandular pubescence on the outside of the corolla, the limb distinctly two-lipped, the adaxial lip bilobed to near base, the lobes ovate to triangularovate, the abaxial lip trilobed to the base, the included stamens, the glabrous anther connectives and the ring-like, glabrous, entire or subentire disc.

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Accepted by Maarten Christenhusz: 31 Aug. 2013; published: ?? Month 2013 1
PHYTOTAXA
ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition)
ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition)
Copyright © 2013 Magnolia Press
Phytotaxa 00 (0): 0–000 (2013)
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http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.00.0.0
Oreocharis glandulosa, a new species of Gesneriaceae from southern Yunnan,
China
YUN-HONG TAN*, JIAN-WU LI, BO PAN, BIN WEN, JIAN-TAO YIN & QIANG LIU
Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun,
Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China;
* Author for correspondence. E-mail: tyh@xtbg.org.cn
Abstract
Oreocharis glandulosa, a new species of Gesneriaceae from southern Yunnan, China, is here described and illustrated. It
is similar to O. bodinieri in its corolla shape, but can be easily distinguished by its dense glandular pubescence on the
outside of the corolla, the limb distinctly two-lipped, the adaxial lip bilobed to near base, the lobes ovate to triangular-
ovate, the abaxial lip trilobed to the base, the included stamens, the glabrous anther connectives and the ring-like,
glabrous, entire or subentire disc.
Introduction
Evolutionary relationships revealed by recent molecular phylogenetic analyses (Möller et al. 2009, 2011a)
have led to considerable realignment of the taxonomy of Old World Gesneriaceae (Möller et al. 2011b, Puglisi
et al. 2011, Wang et al. 2011, Weber et al. 2011a, 2011b, 2011c). One of the most drastic changes is the new
delimitation and expansion of Oreocharis Benth. in Bentham & Hooker (1876: 1021) by Möller et al.
(2011b). Previous to that study, Oreocharis was a genus of ca. 28 species distributed mainly in southern China
(Wang et al. 1998, Weber 2004). Based on molecular data and a morphological evaluation, Möller et al.
(2011b) demonstrated that the traditionally defined Oreocharis was phylogenetically intertwined with ten
small and sometimes monospecific Chinese genera: Ancylostemon Craib (1919: 233), Bournea Oliver (1894:
2254), Briggsia Craib (1919: 236), Dayaoshania Wang (1983: 319), Deinocheilos Wang (1986: 1), Isometrum
Craib (1919: 250), Opithandra Burtt (1956: 162), Paraisometrum Wang (1997: 431), Thamnocharis Wang
(1981: 485) and Tremacron Craib (1918: 217). Phylogenetic analyses resulted in a strongly supported
monophyletic group including all these genera, and the results suggested that floral characters are highly
homoplasious and are thus unsuitable for generic delimitation in Gesneriaceae (as also found in other lineages
of the family such as the Chirita-alliance (Wang et al. 2011) and the genus Streptocarpus (Christenhusz
2012)). Möller et al. (2011b) expanded the genus Oreocharis to include the genera mentioned above, raising
the total number of species in this genus to ca. 80 and making the genus one of the most morphologically
diverse among Old Word Gesneriaceae.
During our floristic surveys of southern Yunnan between 2011 and 2012 some new species were
discovered and described (Tan et al. 2012), and we also collected a specimen of Oreocharis that
morphologically did not match any of the known species. This specimen differed in having a corolla that is
densely glandular puberulent outside, its limb distinctly two-lipped, stamens included, glabrous anthers
connective glabrous and a ring-like entire to subentire disc. Based on a detailed examination of the
morphological and anatomical characters of this plant and possible relatives (Li 1983, Pan 1987, Wang et al.
1990, 1998, Li & Wang 2004, Liu et al. 2012), we conclude that it is a new species which we hereby describe
and illustrate.

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Taxonomic treatment
Oreocharis glandulosa Y.H.Tan & J.W.Li, sp. nov. (Fig. 1–2).
Species Oreocharis bodinieri affinis, sed corolla dense indumento pedunculi obtectae extra, limbo distincte bilobata,
adaxial labio bilobata ad prope basim; stamina includitur; antherae connectiva glabro; disco annularis similis,
glaber, integris vel subintegro differt.
Typ e:— CHINA. Yunnan: Lancang, shady humus-rich hillsides and damp rocks under evergreen broad leaved forests,
1600m, 22° 35' 28.17" N, 99° 58' 55.92" E, 7 September 2012, Yun-Hong Tan 6925 (holotype HITBC!, isotype
HITBC!).
FIGURE 1. Oreocharis glandulosa (from the type locality). A, B. Habitat. C. Flower. D. Opened corolla showing stamens. E. Opened
corolla, calyx and pistil with disc. F. Calyx. G. Young fruit with disc. Photographs by Yun-Hong Tan & Jian-Wu Li.

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OREOCHARIS GLANDULOSA SP. NOV.
FIGURE 2. Oreocharis glandulosa. A. Habitat. B. Flower. C. Opened corolla. D. Calyx and pistil with disc. E. Calyx. F. Bracts. G.
Cross section of ovary. Illustration by Yun-Xi Zhu based on the holotype.

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Perennial, stemless herbs. Rhizomes subterete, 1.8–2.0 cm long, 1 cm in diameter. Leaves basal, 8–13,
petiolate; petioles terete, 3–13 cm long, 2–4 mm in diameter, densely villous with brown segmented hairs, ca.
3–4 mm; leaf blades papery when dry, cordate to broadly ovate, 3.5–11.5 × 2.5–9.0 cm, bases cordate,
margins double crenate to serrate, apices acute to rounded, adaxially densely appressed pubescent, abaxially
densely brown villous along veins, hairs ca. 3–4 mm; lateral veins 6–7 on each side of midrib, distinct,
concave adaxially, prominent abaxially. Inflorescences cymose, axillary, 3–4-branched, 4–16(–20)-flowered;
peduncles 7.0–19.5 cm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, with densely brown segmented hairs, ca. 3–4 mm; bracts
2, ca. 3–5 × 1.0–1.2 mm, narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, margins entire, with densely brown segmented
hairs outside, hairs ca. 2–3 mm; bracteoles similar but smaller; pedicels 0.8–2.3 cm long, ca. 1 mm in
diameter, with densely brown segmented hairs, hairs ca. 2–2.5 mm. Calyx actinomorphic, 4.5–6.5 × ca. 1.0
mm, 5-parted nearly to the base, slightly unequal, lobes linear-lanceolate, with densely brown segmented hairs
outside and glabrous inside, margins entire or 2–3-denticulate. Corolla yellow 2.0–2.5 cm long, outside
densely glandular puberulent and inside glabrous; tube nearly cylindric, gradually slightly ampliate from base
to mouth, 1.5–1.8 cm × ca. 4.0–5.5 mm; limb distinctly two-lipped, adaxial lip bilobed to near base, lobes
ovate to triangular-ovate, ca. 3.5–4.0 × 3.0–3.5 mm; abaxial lip trilobed to base, lobes ovate, ca. 6.0–6.5 ×
4.0–4.5 mm. Stamens 4, adnate to corolla 4.5–5.0 mm above base, included; filaments ca. 13.5–14.5 mm long,
slender, sparsely pubescent, free; anthers oblong, ca. 1.5–2.0 × 0.8–1.0 mm, two-loculed, dehiscing
longitudinally, connective glabrous; staminode 1, glabrous, ca. 3.0–3.5 mm long, adnate to corolla 4 mm
above base. Disc ring like, ca. 2.0–2.5 mm high, glabrous, entire or subentire. Pistil ca. 1.2–1.9 cm, glabrous;
ovary ca. 1.2–1.6 cm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, style ca. 2 mm long; stigma 1, capitate, orbicular, ca. 0.8–1.0
mm in diameter. Capsules 4-angled or subterete, ca. 4 cm long and 3 mm in diameter, glabrous.
Distribution, habitat and ecology:—Oreocharis glandulosa is only known from southern Yunnan and
grows on shady, humus-rich hillsides and rocks in the understory of evergreen broad leaved forests or on
valley cliffs, elevation ca. 1600–1800 m. The main companion species are: Rhynchanthus beesianus
W.W.Sm., Hedychium spicatum Smith, Peristylus calcaratus (Rolfe) S.Y.Hu, Begonia palmata D.Don,
Sonerila primuloides C.Y.Wu ex C.Chen, Anthogonium gracile Lindl., Tofieldia thibetica Franch., Lobelia
angulata G.Forst.
Phenology:—Flowering from August to October and fruiting from September to November.
Etymology:—The epithet refers to the corolla which is densely glandular puberulent outside.
Relationships:—Oreocharis glandulosa is most similar to Oreocharis bodinieri Léveillé (1915: 40)
distributed in southern Sichuan and northeastern Yunnan, but can be distinguished by its corolla that is
densely glandular puberulent outside (vs. pubescent), the distinctly two-lipped limb (vs. slightly 2-lipped), the
adaxial lip bilobed to near the base, abaxial lip trilobed to the base (vs. bilobed from near middle), included
stamens (vs. slightly exserted), anther connectives glabrous (vs. sparsely pubescent to pubescent), and an
entire or subentire disc (vs. deeply pentalobed to pentasect from base). After comparison with specimens and
literature of Oreocharis bodinieri, we concluded that O. glandulosa can be clearly differentiated from O.
bodinieri by several floral characters as listed in Table 1.
TABLE 1 . Morphological comparison between Oreocharis glandulosa and O. bodinieri
O. glandulosa O. bodinieri
Leaves petiole to 13 cm; leaf blade cordate to broadly ovate,
base cordate
petiole to 5 cm; leaf blade broadly ovate to narrowly
ovate, base oblique, cordate to rounded
Corolla glandular puberulent outside pubescent outside
Limb distinctly 2-lipped, adaxial lip 2-lobed to near base slightly 2-lipped; adaxial lip 2-lobed from near middle
Stamens included; anthers connective glabrous slightly exserted; anthers connective sparsely
pubescent to pubescent
Disc entire or subentire deeply 5-lobed to 5-sect from base

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OREOCHARIS GLANDULOSA SP. NOV.
Additional specimens examined (patatypes):—CHINA. Yunnan: Lancang County, Fofang, 28 August
2011, Jian-Wu Li 880 (HITBC); 25 July 2001, Hong Wang 4914 (HITBC).
Acknowledgements
This study was financially supported by the National Science and Technology Infrastructure Program
(08ZK121B02, 08ZK111B02). We thank Yun-Xi Zhu for the illustration. We are grateful to David J.
Middleton and Michael Möller (Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh) for their suggestions and comments. We
are also grateful to Xin Yao for editing the photographs.
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