taxonID	type	description	language	source
029F4BF4FE9B555A8239DD1D39A807AB.taxon	description	Figs 1 – 4	en	Nong, You, Lei, Li-Qun, Wu, Lei, Hu, Qi-Min, Li, Ying-Jing, Qu, Xin-Cheng, Xu, Chuan-Gui, Wei, Gui-Yuan (2025): Spiradiclis scorpiura (Rubiaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys 252: 41-49, DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.252.139783
029F4BF4FE9B555A8239DD1D39A807AB.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Spiradiclis scorpiura is most similar to S. coccinea but is different in its densely pubescent young stems that become glabrous when older (vs. glabrous or subglabrous), its cincinnous inflorescences (vs. cymose), its triangular, 1 – 2 mm long, pubescent bracteoles (vs. subulate, 3 – 4 mm long, glabrous), its calyx puberulent outside (vs. glabrescent outside), and its capsule 3 – 4 mm in diam. (vs. 4.5 – 5.5 mm in diam.).	en	Nong, You, Lei, Li-Qun, Wu, Lei, Hu, Qi-Min, Li, Ying-Jing, Qu, Xin-Cheng, Xu, Chuan-Gui, Wei, Gui-Yuan (2025): Spiradiclis scorpiura (Rubiaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys 252: 41-49, DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.252.139783
029F4BF4FE9B555A8239DD1D39A807AB.taxon	description	Description. Subshrubs, perennial, 20 – 50 cm tall, rooting near base, stems ascending; stems densely pubescent when young but glabrous when old. Leaves opposite; petiole 1 – 2 mm long, sparsely pubescent; blade drying papery, adaxially olive green, abaxially yellowish green, elliptic, 3 – 7 × 0.5 – 1.5 cm, sparsely pubescent or glabrous on both surfaces, margin entire, base cuneate, apex acuminate; secondary veins 8 – 12 on each side of the midrib, midrib concave adaxially and prominently convex abaxially; stipules triangular, 1 – 2 mm long, glabrous outside, apex acute. Inflorescences terminal, cincinnous, 3 – 6 branched, 3 – 44 - flowered, pubescent; peduncles 0.6 – 1 cm long, pubescent; pedicels short, c. 1 mm long, pubescent; bracteoles triangular, 1 – 2 mm long, pubescent outside. Flowers distylous. Calyx pubescent; hypanthium portion obovate, 1 – 2 mm long, with 5 straight ridges; lobes 5, triangular or ovate-lanceolate, 1 – 1.5 mm long. Corolla purple, slenderly salverform-funnelform, glabrous or pubescent outside; tube 15 – 18 mm long, lobes broadly ovate to suborbicular, 6 – 8 mm long. Stamens 5. Style filiform, stigma clavate, 2 - lobed, lobes linear, c. 2 mm long. Long-styled flowers: corolla tube with pilose ring above stamens inside; stamens born near the base of the tube, anthers sessile or subsessile, c. 3 mm long; style c. 1.5 cm long or slightly longer. Short-styled flowers: corolla tube pubescent near the base inside; stamens born in the middle of the tube, anthers sessile or subsessile, c. 2 mm long; style c. 4 mm long. Capsules subglobose, 3 – 4 mm in diam., glabrescent, valves 4. Seeds numerous, angular, c. 0.2 mm in diam.	en	Nong, You, Lei, Li-Qun, Wu, Lei, Hu, Qi-Min, Li, Ying-Jing, Qu, Xin-Cheng, Xu, Chuan-Gui, Wei, Gui-Yuan (2025): Spiradiclis scorpiura (Rubiaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys 252: 41-49, DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.252.139783
029F4BF4FE9B555A8239DD1D39A807AB.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet “ scorpiura ” refers to the terminal, cincinnous inflorescences of the new species.	en	Nong, You, Lei, Li-Qun, Wu, Lei, Hu, Qi-Min, Li, Ying-Jing, Qu, Xin-Cheng, Xu, Chuan-Gui, Wei, Gui-Yuan (2025): Spiradiclis scorpiura (Rubiaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys 252: 41-49, DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.252.139783
029F4BF4FE9B555A8239DD1D39A807AB.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habit. Known only from southeast Guangxi, China. The species has only been found at the rim of a sinkhole at elevations of 504 m.	en	Nong, You, Lei, Li-Qun, Wu, Lei, Hu, Qi-Min, Li, Ying-Jing, Qu, Xin-Cheng, Xu, Chuan-Gui, Wei, Gui-Yuan (2025): Spiradiclis scorpiura (Rubiaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys 252: 41-49, DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.252.139783
