Oreocharis wumengensis Lei Cai & Z.L.Dao, 2020

Cai, Lei, Liu, Fang-Pu, Yi, Xiang-Bo & Dao, Zhi-Ling, 2020, Oreocharis wumengensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from northeastern Yunnan, China, PhytoKeys 157, pp. 113-119 : 113

Oreocharis wumengensis Lei Cai & Z.L.Dao sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2

Diagnosis.

Oreocharis wumengensis resembles O. panzhouensis in its floral characteristics, but can easily be distinguished from this species in the brown-pubescent, oblate petiole; the oblong, long elliptic to oblanceolate leaf blade; the glandular pubescent pedicel; the calyx 5-lobed to the base; and the apically coherent anthers.

Type.

China. Yunnan: Yanjin County, Miaoba Town, Liuchang Village, Houshanping, 27°52'N, 104°20'E, elev. ca. 1050 m, on moist rocks (cultivated in KBG), in flowering, 3 August 2018, Lei Cai CL198 (holotype: KUN!, isotype: KUN!).

Description.

Perennial herb, rhizome 4-12 mm long, 3-5 mm in diameter. Leaves 8-20, basal, petiole oblate, 0.8-5.5 cm long, brown pubescent, leaf blade oblong, long elliptic to oblanceolate, 3.0-8.5 × 0.8-2.8 cm, adaxially densely appressed pubescent, abaxially pubescent, densely brown pubescent along veins, lateral veins 3-5 on each side of midrib, adaxially inconspicuous, adaxially conspicuous, apex acute, base cuneate, margin serrated, upper half obvious. Cymes axillary 2-4, inflorescence 4-10-flowered; peduncle 6.5-12 cm long, brown pubescent; bracts 2, lanceolate to elliptic, 5-7 × 1.5-3 mm, both sides appressed pubescent, margin nearly entire to denticulate; pedicel 1.5-4.5 cm long, glandular pubescent. Calyx 4-6 mm long, 5-lobed to the base, lobes unequal, linear or narrowly triangular, 4-6 mm long, ca. 1.5 mm wide, outside brown pubescent and glandular pubescent, inside glabrous. Corolla sigmoid, yellow, 2.2-2.6 cm long, outside extremely sparsely brown pubescent and densely glandular pubescent, inside glandular pubescent in the throat and on adaxial lobes, slightly contracted at the throat, 1.2-1.4 cm long, 4-7 mm in diameter; limb 2-lipped; adaxial lip 2-lobed to near base, semiorbicular, lobes 2-3 × 2-3 mm, abaxial lip 3-lobed to base, semiorbicular to oval, 6-8 × 5-7 mm. Stamens 4, 5-8 mm long, adnate to corolla 4-6 mm from base; filaments linear, glandular pubescent; anthers horseshoe shaped, coherent apically, 2-loculed, dehiscing longitudinally, connective glabrous; staminode 1, ca. 0.5 mm long, inserted ca. 1 mm from base. Disc ca. 1.5 mm high, yellow, margin undulate. Pistil 0.8-1 cm long; ovary long cylindrical, glabrous, 4-6 mm long; style 2-3 mm long, glandular pubescent; stigma bilobed, flabellate. Old Capsule linear, ca. 2 cm long.

Phenology.

Flowering from July to August; fruiting unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ' wumengensis ' referring to the type locality where the new species was found, is located in the famous Wumeng Mountain area.

Vernacular name.

The Chinese name for the new species is "Wū Méng Mǎ Líng Jù Tái” (乌蒙马铃苣苔).

Distribution and ecology.

Oreocharis wumengensis is currently known only from one population of ca. 50 individuals at the type locality. The species could be endangered, but more data is needed to evaluate this reliably. The species was observed growing on moist rocks with other plants under forest cover in karst regions in Yanjin County, Yunnan.

Taxonomic affinities.

Oreocharis wumengensis is morphologically unique with sigmoid corolla within Oreocharis s.l., however there are certain similarities with other species in this genus. O. wumengensis is similar to O. panzhouensis in the shape of corolla, however, it is obviously different from the latter species. The comparison of morphologically characters on related species are provided in Table 1 .

Figures

Figure 1. Oreocharis wumengensis Lei Cai & Z. L. Dao, sp. nov. A Plant in the wild B, C plants in cultivation in KBG D adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces E inflorescence F, G side and top view of flowers H front view of flower I opened corolla with pistil and calyx J pistil with disc and calyx K opened corolla showing stamens and staminode L adnate anthers, abaxial view M adnate anthers, adaxial view. Photographed by Lei Cai.

Figure 2. Holotype of Oreocharis wumengensis Lei Cai & Z. L. Dao, sp. nov. (KUN- 1444080).