Petrocodon wui (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Guizhou, China

Abstract

Petrocodon wui F.Wen & R.B.Zhang (Gesneriaceae), a typically lithophyte occurring in the Danxia areas of north-western Guizhou, China, is described and illustrated as new to science. The new species shows overall similarity with P. chishuiensis Z.B.Xin, F.Wen & S.B.Zhou, which is also its sister species, based on molecular evidence. The new species can be distinguished from P. chishuiensis by the elongated rhizome, the relatively long indumentum on the peduncle, the shape, size and indumentum of calyx lobes, the location of the stamens in the corolla tube and the shape, size and indumentum of the stigma. We provide a diagnosis, detailed description, photographic images and a table with taxonomic notes to distinguish several other morphologically similar Petrocodon species.

A new lithophilous species of Gesneriaceae, Petrocodon rubrostriatus, from the karst area of South Yunnan, China

“…All available specimens of Petrocodon s.l. stored in the herbaria (IBK, KUN, and PE) in China, digital specimens on JSTOR Global Plants ( http://plants.jstor.org ) and the Chinese Virtual Herbarium ( http://www.cvh.ac.cn ), and relevant literature (e.g., Weber et al 2011 , 2020 ; Yang et al 2022 ; Zhang et al 2023 ) were examined and studied. We carried out morphological observation, measurements, and prepared a description based on living plants, dried specimens, and preserved materials of the new species.…”

“…We carried out morphological observation, measurements, and prepared a description based on living plants, dried specimens, and preserved materials of the new species. We described this new species using the terminology of Wang et al (1990 , 1998 ), Weber et al (2011) and Zhang et al (2023) .…”

“…Four samples of the new species were newly sequenced for both markers following the DNA extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing protocol of Yang et al (2022) , using the primers for ITS and trn L-F of Taberlet et al (1991) and Möller and Cronk (1997) , respectively. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses of the 44 samples followed Yang et al (2022) , with Primulina dryas (Dunn) Mich.Möller & A.Weber and P. pinnata (W.T.Wang) Yin Z.Wang as outgroups, based on previous phylogenetic analyses ( Möller et al 2009 ; Weber et al 2011 ; Zhang et al 2018 , 2023 ). A partition homogeneity test ( Farris et al 1995 ) was conducted in PAUP 4.0a169 ( Swofford 2003 ) with 1000 replicates to determine whether the trn L-F and ITS datasets contained phylogenetic conflict.…”

“… Petrocodon Hance is a genus of lithophytic perennial herbs in the Gesneriaceae with currently 49 species and one variety ( P. dealbatus var. denticulatus ), mainly distributed in the limestone regions of southwestern China, and four species distributed on the northern Indo-China Peninsular ( Huang et al 2022 ; Yang et al 2022 ; GRC 2023; POWO 2023 ; Zhang et al 2023 ). Most species of Petrocodon are endemic to karst landscapes ( Fan et al 2020 ; Li et al 2020 a, b), except for three species, Petrocodon asterocalyx F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & R.L.Zhang ( Zhang et al 2018 ), P. chishuiensis Z.B.Xin, F.Wen & S.B.Zhou ( Xin et al 2020 ), and P. wui F.Wen & R.B.Zhang ( Zhang et al 2023 ), which are distributed in Danxia landforms.…”

“… denticulatus ), mainly distributed in the limestone regions of southwestern China, and four species distributed on the northern Indo-China Peninsular ( Huang et al 2022 ; Yang et al 2022 ; GRC 2023; POWO 2023 ; Zhang et al 2023 ). Most species of Petrocodon are endemic to karst landscapes ( Fan et al 2020 ; Li et al 2020 a, b), except for three species, Petrocodon asterocalyx F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & R.L.Zhang ( Zhang et al 2018 ), P. chishuiensis Z.B.Xin, F.Wen & S.B.Zhou ( Xin et al 2020 ), and P. wui F.Wen & R.B.Zhang ( Zhang et al 2023 ), which are distributed in Danxia landforms. After the revision based on molecular phylogenetic studies, several Chinese monotypic and small genera have been included in Petrocodon , such as Calcareoboea C.Y.Wu ex H.W.Li and Lagarosolen W.T.Wang ( Weber et al 2011 ), one species of Wentsaiboea D.Fang & D.H.Qin ( Weber et al 2011 ) and one species of Primulina Hance ( Xu et al 2014 ).…”