Actinostephanus (Gesneriaceae), a new genus and species from Guangdong, South China

Abstract

Actinostephanus, a new genus from southern China, is described and colorfully illustrated with a single species, A. enpingensis. This new genus is morphologically most similar to Boeica and Leptoboea, nevertheless, it can be easily distinguished from the latter two by the following characteristics, such as leaves in whorls of three, all closely clustered at the top; corolla bowl-shaped, 5-lobed, actinomorphic; capsule hard, oblong-ovoid, short, 3–4 mm long, densely appressed villous, wrapped by persistent densely pubescent calyx lobes, style persistent. The new genus and related genera were sequenced using the next-generation sequencing technique. The whole plastid genome of the new genus is 154, 315 - 154, 344 bp in length. We reconstructed phylogenetic trees using the dataset of 80 encoded protein genes of the whole plastid genome from 47 accessions based on ML and BI analyses. The result revealed that the new genus was recovering in a polytomy including Boeica, Rhynchotechum, and Leptoboea with strong support, congruent to the morphological evidence. A global conservation assessment was also performed and classifies A. enpingensis as Least Concern (LC). In addition, after a review of recently described species of Gesneriaceae, we propose that plant enthusiasts, especially Gesneriad fans, have been playing an increasingly important role in the process of new taxa-discoveries.

Oreocharis qianyuensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Southwest, China based on morphological and molecular evidence

“…hitherto comprises ca. 160 species, mainly distributed in South and Southwest China (150 species), with several species occurring in North Vietnam (ten species with eight endemic), Myanmar (two species), Bhutan (one species), India (one species), Japan (one endemic species) and Thailand (one endemic species) ( Wang et al 1990 , 1998 ; Li and Wang 2005 ; Cai et al 2020 ; Wen et al 2021 ). Oreocharis shows extremely diverse floral charateristics, particularly regarding the corolla shape ranging from narrowly or widely tubular, campanulate, urceolate, to flat; symmetry from zygomorphic to actinomorphic; color from white, red, yellow, pink to purple ( Jin et al 2021 ).…”

Primulina nana (Gesneriaceae), a new species from eastern Guangxi, China

“…As of February 2022, there were 221 species (excluding infraspecific taxa) ( GRC 2022 ) in this genus. China is the centre of diversity for Primulina with at least 204 species and 15 varieties occurring there at present ( Wen et al 2022 ), especially in limestone areas ( Wei 2018 ; Wen et al 2019 ; Ge et al 2020 ; Liu et al 2020 ; Xin et al 2020a , b , c , 2021 ; Zhang et al 2021 ). The tropical and subtropical karst limestone mountainous areas of Guangxi, China, are the centres of species diversity and differentiation of this genus ( Li et al 2019 ).…”

Microchirita minor (Gesneriaceae), a new species from north-western Vietnam

“…Puglisi et al 2016 ; Puglisi and Middleton 2017 ; Rafidah 2019 ). The genus Microchirita grows exclusively in limestone karst habitats of tropical Asia, of which, Thailand is considered to be the centre of diversity of Microchirita with 29 species recorded ( Puglisi and Middleton 2017 ), followed by Indonesia, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam ( Puglisi and Middleton 2017 ; Rafidah 2017 ; Middleton 2018 ; Vu 2018 ; Wei 2018 ; Fu et al 2022 ; Wei et al 2022 ; Wen et al 2022 ).…”