Sedum spiralifolium D. Q. Wang, D. M. Xie & L. Q. Huang, 2014

Xie, Dong-Mei, Peng, Dai-Yin, Fang, Cheng-Wu, Qin, Min-Jian, Wang, De-Qun & Huang, Lu-Qi, 2014, Sedum spiralifolium (Crassulaceae): a new species from Anhui Province, China, Phytotaxa 183 (3), pp. 171-182 : 177-178

Sedum spiralifolium D. Q. Wang, D. M. Xie & L. Q. Huang , sp. nov. ( Figure 4 )

Type: — CHINA. Anhui Province, Lu’ an City , Shucheng County, Shucha Township , on rocks and along road banks, elevation ca. 50–100 m, 20 April 2012, D. Q . Wang & D. M . Xie 120420 (fl., holotype ACM!, isotype ACM! & PE!)

Herbs perennial. Root fibrous. Sterile stems erect, 5–20 cm tall. Flowering stems erect or slightly bent, 10–30 cm. Leaves 3-verticillate, leaf blade linear-lanceolate, 10–25 × 2–3 mm, apex sub-acute, base shortly spurred, mostly 3-lobed, middle tilted 1 mm. Cyme 3–4 branched, corymbiform, ca. 4–7 cm in diameter, many flowered. Flowers sessile except the central flower (4–5 mm long), unequally 5-merous; bracts resembling stem leaves, 5–15 mm. Sepals linear-lanceolate, base shortly spurred, ca. 3–6 mm, apex subacute. Petals yellow, narrowly ovate or broadly lanceolate, 4–7 × 1–2 mm, apex acute, 0.2–0.5 mm. Stamens 10, 4– 5 mm; antepetalous ones ca. 4 mm, inserted ca. 1 mm from petal base; antesepalous ones ca. 5 mm. Nectar scales nearly fan-shaped, apex obtuse, yellow-white, ca. 0.2 × 0.5 mm.

Carpels divergent, lanceolate, slightly split ends, ca. 5 mm, base connate for ca. 1 mm, apex slightly divergent. Style ca. 2 mm long. Follicles divergent, many seeded. Seeds brown, ovoid, 0.3–0.8 × 0.2–0.4 mm. Flowering early April, fruiting April–May. ( Figure 3 and 4 ).

Distribution & Habitat: — S. spiralifolium is endemic to Anhui Province. It is known from Shucha Township of Shucheng County and Zongyang County of Anqing City in central Anhui Province of eastern China. It grows in valleys, on rocks and along road banks at an elevation of ca. 50– 100 m.

Etymology: —The specific epithet ‘ spiralifolium ’ refers to the habitus of the upper leaves on the sterile shoots.

Additional collection (paratypes): — CHINA. Anhui Province, Lu’an City, Shucheng County, Shucha Township , along road banks, elevation ca. 100 m, 25 April 2013, D. M . Xie & L . Q . Huang 130425 ( PE!); the same locality, road banks, elevation ca. 95 m, 5 May 2013, D. M . Xie & L . Q . Huang 130505 ( ACM!), D. Q . Wang & D. M . Xie 130506 ( ACM!). Zongyang County of Anqing City , roadside, elevation ca. 50 m, 23 April 2013, D. M . Xie & Q . S . Yang 1304231 ( ACM!) .

Relationships: — S. spiralifolium belongs to S. sect. Sedum characterized by leaves 3-verticillate, yellow flowers, carpels and divergent follicles. It is most similar to S. sarmentosum except for its sterile shoots erect with twisted leaves, its shortly spurred and mostly 3-lobed leaf base, its central flower with 4–5 mm long pedicel, its fan-shaped scales and its earlier flowering time. S. sarmentosum is characterized by leaves that are not twisted, sterile stems creeping and rooting at nodes, leaves oblanceolate to oblong with base abruptly narrowed and spurred, flowers sessile, nectar scales cuneate-quadrangular. ( Table 3)

Figures

FIGURE 3. Sedum spiralifolium sp. nov. A. Habit in flowering period; B. Sterile shoots (twisted upper leaves at the top of the sterile shoots); C. Inflorescence; D. Flowering plant; E. Nectar scale; F. Follicles; G. Seed.

FIGURE 4. Sedum spiralifolium sp. nov. A. Flowering plant; B. Petal with stamen; C. Twisted leaves of the sterile shoot; D. Flower; E. Nectar scale; F. Carpels; G. Seed. (Drawn by Hai-Yan Cao from the holotype in ACM)