Tuesday, August 16, 2016

[Botany • 2013] Anna rubidiflora • A New Species (Gesneriaceae) from Guizhou, the southern part of China


Anna rubidiflora 
 S.Z. He, F.Wen & Y.G. Wei


Abstract

Background – Anna is a small genus of Gesneriaceae, occurring in China and Vietnam. During fieldwork in Guizhou, China, a representative of this genus was discovered which did not match the description of any of the three known species.

Methods – Herbarium taxonomical and morphological studies, SEM of pollen and seeds and molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed.

Key results – A new species, Anna rubidiflora S.Z. He, F.Wen & Y.G. Wei, a stenochoric species from the southern part of China (Kaiyang county of Guizhou province), is described and illustrated. It differs from the morphologically similar species A. ophiorrhizoides (Hemsl.) Burtt & Davidson by being a larger plant with undivided stem, its entire leaf blade margins, its abaxial greenish-white leaf blades with slightly purple nerves, its obovate-lanceolate calyx lobes with truncate and nearly rounded apex without nerves, and its reddish-purple corolla. The newly described species is illustrated both by a line drawing and photographs. A locality and distribution map is also presented. A phylogenetic analysis confirmed that A. rubidiflora is a member of Anna and a close relative of A. ophiorrhizoides.


Key words – Anna, endemic, Gesneriaceae, Guizhou province, new species, phylogenetic placement, taxonomy.



Figure 2 – Photographs of Anna rubidiflora S.Z.He, Fang Wen & Y.G.Wei at the type locality:
A, habitat; B, stem with leaves and flowers; C, back of leaves; D, leaves; E, bracts; F, front view of flower; G, longitudinally opened flower showing stamens, staminodes and pistil.

 Wei, Yi-Gang; Wen, Fang; Zhao, Bo and He, Shun-Zhi. 2013. Anna rubidiflora (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from Guizhou, the southern part of China. Plant Ecology and Evolution. 146(2); 203-211. DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.2013.731