Primulina gracilipes (Gesneriaceae), a new species from southern Hunan, China

Abstract

ECCPrimulina gracilipes, a new species of Gesneriaceae from limestone areas in southern Hunan, China is described and illustrated here. This new species is similar to Primulina hunanensis, but is distinguishable due to its smaller bracts and shorter petiole. Morphological description and illustrations of the new species are provided, as well as diagnostic comparisons and a phylogenetic reconstruction based on nrITS and trnL-F sequence data. According to the IUCN Red List Criteria, Primulina gracilipes is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B2a).

Figure 4 from: Liu A, Zhou J-j, Li X, Yu X-l, Wu L (2024) Polygala qii, a new species of Polygalaceae from limestone landform in Southern Hunan, China. PhytoKeys 244: 77-87. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.244.121759

“…We have previously discovered some new species of Primulina in the limestone areas of southern Hunan, such as P. jiangyongensis X. L. Yu & Ming Li (Li et al 2014) (Gong et al 2022) and so on. The discovery of the new species illustrates the rich plant diversity in limestone landforms of southern Hunan once again, most of which have inconvenient transportation and dangerous terrain, and explains that we still need to conduct more in-depth research in this area.…”

Polygala qii, a new species of Polygalaceae from limestone landform in Southern Hunan, China

“…We have previously discovered some new species of Primulina in the limestone areas of southern Hunan, such as P. jiangyongensis X. L. Yu & Ming Li ( Li et al 2014 ), P. porphyrea X. L. Yu & Ming Li ( Li and Yu 2015 ), P. cataractarum X. L. Yu & A. Liu ( Ding et al 2021 ) and P. gracilipes X. L. Yu & A. Liu ( Gong et al 2022 ) and so on. The discovery of the new species illustrates the rich plant diversity in limestone landforms of southern Hunan once again, most of which have inconvenient transportation and dangerous terrain, and explains that we still need to conduct more in-depth research in this area.…”

Primulina guarouba, a new endemic cave‐dwelling species of Gesneriaceae from northern Guangxi, China

“…DNA extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing of the new species followed Möller et al (2009Möller et al ( , 2011. To elucidate the phylogenetic affinities of the new species, an ingroup (179 species of Primulina) and outgroup (two of Petrocodon) were chosen based on recent phylogenetic analyses (Kang et al 2014, Xu et al 2019, Ding et al 2021, Gong et al 2022, and from which sequences were available from GenBank (Supporting information). Visual comparison of optimal tree topologies generated by ML analysis of trnL-F and ITS datasets was used to compare topological inconsistencies.…”