Callicarpa stoloniformis (Lamiaceae), a new species from Southeast China based on morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence

Abstract

Callicarpa stoloniformis sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) is described as a new species from Fujian Province of China on the basis of both morphological and molecular data. The new species is morphologically most close to C. hainanensis. However, it can be distinguished from the latter by its unique procumbent life form, adventitious roots at nodes, papery leaves, cup-shaped or campanulate calyx, truncate or shallow fissure calyx lobes, and smaller fruits. In addition, the new species is also similar with C. basitruncata, a species only known from the original description and the photograph of holotype, but it can differ from the latter by its procumbent shrub, purple terete branchlets with apparent linear lenticels, adventitious roots at nodes, and papery larger leaves with prominently cordate leaf base. Original photographs, illustration, distribution map, and a comparative morphological table, as well as an identification key of the related taxa are provided.

Callicarpa yongshunensis (Lamiaceae): A new species from Hunan, China

“…Sixteen Chinese Callicarpa species ( Ma et al 2023 ) were selected as representatives for phylogenetic analysis, with Dasymalla teckiana (F. Muell.)…”

“…A total of 48 species in the genus Callicarpa were catalogued in the Flora of China ( Chen and Michael 1994 ). Later, four new species, including C. hainanensis Z. H. Ma & D. X. Zhang ( Ma and Zhang 2012 ), C. pararubella Qiang Wang ( Wang 2019 ), C. stoloniformis X. X. Su, Z. H. Ma & B. Chen ( Ma et al 2023 ) and C. liuliana Z. H. Chen, W. Y. Xie & F. Chen ( Xie et al 2023 ), were reported and a new combination C. subglabra (C. Pei) L. X. Ye & B. Y. Ding was proposed ( Ye et al 2018 ). Thus, to date, a total of 53 Callicarpa species have been reported to be distributed in China.…”