Botanical Studies (2012) 53: 393-399.
SYSTEMATICS  
Oreocharis dayaoshanioides, a rare new species of Gesneriaceae from eastern Guangxi, China
Yan LIU1, Wei-Bin XU1, Yu-Song HUANG1, Ching-I PENG2 *, and Kuo-Fang CHUNG3 *
1Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China
2Herbarium (HAST), Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
3School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Daan, Taipei 106, Taiwan
(Received April 12, 2010; Accepted June 11, 2012)
ABSTRACT. Oreocharis dayaoshanioides Yan Liu & W. B. Xu, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is most similar and closely related to Oreocharis cotinifolia (W. T. Wang) Mich. Moller & A. Weber (=Dayaoshania cotinifolia W.T. Wang), differing from the latter by the distinctly serrulate leaf margin, much branched cymes, smaller and numer­ous flowers with abaxial lipped-lobes being broadly ovate to orbicular-ovate, and a glabrous pistil. The new species is extremely rare, currently known only from one site in eastern Guangxi.
Keywords: Dayaoshania; Dayaoshania cotinifolia; Oreocharis dayaoshanioides; Gesneriaceae; Guangxi; New species; Rare plant.
INTRODUCTION
Of the ten genera sunken under Oreocharis, the monotypic Dayaoshania (i.e., D. cotinifolia W.T. Wang) is distinct in having a strongly zygomorphic, butterfly-like corolla (Wang, 1983, 1990; Li and Wang, 2004), which is readily recognizable in the field (Figure 1). With less than 1,000 plants left in the Dayaoshan National Nature Reserve, a plant diversity hotspot in Guangxi (Wang et al., 2008, 2011a; Hou et al., 2010; Zhang et al., 2011), D. cotinifolia is a rare and critically endangered (CR) species according to the IUCN categories and criteria (IUCN, 2001). Because of its critical conservation status and evo­lutionary significance as a monotypic genus, D. cotinifolia was amongst the earliest group of plant species listed under the 'First Class of the Key Protected Wild Plants of China' (Wang and Xie, 2004). Moreover, since first established by Wang (1983), Dayaoshania has long been regarded to possess "primitive" characters (Wang, 1983) that were crucial to the understanding of the evolution of Gesneriaceae (Wei, 2010), though this was not borne out in recent molecular phylogenetic analyses (Moller et al., 2011a, b).
The evolutionary relationships unveiled by recent mo­lecular phylogenetic analyses (Moller et al., 2009; 2011a) have spurred considerable realignment of the taxonomy of the Old World Gesneriaceae (Moller et al., 2011b; Puglisi et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2011b; Weber et al., 2011a, b, c; Xu et al., 2012a, b). One of the most drastic changes is the redelimitation and expansion of Oreocharis Benth. by Moller et al. (2011b). Oreocharis was previously a genus of ca. 28 species distributed mainly in southern China (Wang et al., 1998; Weber, 2004). Based on molecular data and a morphological evaluation, Moller et al. (2011b) demonstrate that the traditionally defined Oreocharis was phylogenetically intertwined with ten small and sometimes monotypic Chinese genera: Ancylostemon W.G. Craib, Bournea Oliv., Briggsia W.G. Craib s.str., Dayaoshania W.T. Wang, Deinocheilos W.T. Wang, Isometrum W.G. Craib, Opithandra B.L. Burtt, Paraisometrum W.T. Wang, Thamnocharis W.T. Wang, and Tremacron W.G. Craib. Considering the strongly supported phylogenetic conclu­sions, apparent highly homoplasious floral characters for generic delimitation, and the weakness of the traditionally defined genera, Moller et al. (2011b) synonymize all these genera under Oreocharis, raising the total number of spe­cies in this genus to ca. 80 and making the genus morpho­logically the most diverse of the Old Word Gesneriaceae.
During a botanical survey in 2007, we collected an undescribed species of Gesneriaceae from Wuzhou City, Guangxi, China. Based on its unique corolla shape, we concluded it to be a new species of Dayaoshania and tentatively named it D. serrulata Yan Liu & W.B. Xu, sp. ined. Although it has not been formally described, the binomial D. serrulata has spread around and was men­tioned in a recent book "Gesneriaceae of South China" (Wei, 2010). Meanwhile, two samples of D. serrulata sp. ined. were supplied by F. Wen to Moller et al. (2011b)
*Corresponding authors: E-mails: bopeng@sinica.edu.tw (Ching-I PENG) ； kuofangchung@ntu.edu.tw (Kuo-Fang CHUNG).
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Figure 1. Oreocharis cotinifolia (W. T. Wang) Mich. Moller & A. Weber. A, Flower bud; B, Flower with 3 stamens; C, Flower with 1 stamen; D, Flower with 2 stamens; E, Flower, showing 1 fertile stamen; F, Habit; G, Flower, showing three fertile stamens; H, Pistil; I, Habitat; J, Young fruit.
for molecular phylogenetic analysis. Interestingly but not surprisingly, in the phylogenies of Moller et al. (2011b), D. serrulata sp. ined. was shown to be sister to D. cotinifolia W. T. Wang for which a new combination, Oreocharis cotinifolia (W.T.Wang) Mich. Moller & A.Weber, was made in the same article. The observed phylogenetic rela­tionship suggests also that, rather than Dayaoshania, this
plant is better described as a new species of Oreocharis (Moller et al., 2011b). However, under the new definition of Oreocharis, many species also possess serrulate leaves (Wang et al., 1998; Li and Wang, 2004; Wei, 2010; Moller et al., 2011b), rendering the specific epithet 'serrulata' less informative. To better characterize this unique new species and highlight its morphological similarity and
LIU et al. ― Oreocharis dayaoshanioides sp. nov.
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Figure 2. Oreocharis dayaoshanioides Yan Liu & W. B. Xu. A, Habit; B, Corolla, dissected to show stamens and staminodes; C, Disc and pistil; D, Fruit; E, Ovary, cross section. Line drawings prepared by S.Q. He. (All from the type, Yan Liu and Wei-bin Xu 08018,
IBK).
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Figure 3. Oreocharis dayaoshanioides Yan Liu & W. B. Xu. A, Flower bud; B, C, D, Flower showing variation in corollas; E, Young fruit; F, Inflorescence; G, Habit; H, Habitat.
phylogenetic affinity to Dayaoshania cotinifolia, we propose to name it Oreocharis dayaoshanioides.
Region: Wuzhou City, suburb, on moist rock face, at 60 m elevation, 24 March 2008, Yan Liu and Wei-Bin Xu
08018 (holotype, IBK; isotypes, HAST, PE).
齒葉瑤山苣苔            Figures 2, 3
NEW SPECIES
Dayaoshania serrulata Yan Liu & W.B Xu, sp. ined. in Wei (ed.), Gesneriaceae of South China 152, 153. 2010; Moller et al., Phytotaxa 23: 2, 3, 7, 19. 2011, nom. nud.
Oreocharis dayaoshanioides Yan Liu & W. B. Xu, sp.
nov.―TYPE: CHINA. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
LIU et al. ― Oreocharis dayaoshanioides sp. nov.
397
dorsifixed, nearly spherical, ca. 1.5 mm across, glabrous; staminodes absent or 2, linear, ca. 0.8 mm long. Disc ring­like, 0.8 mm high, glabrous. Pistil 1.5-1.7 cm, ovary linear, 3.5-4 x 1 mm, glabrous; style ca. 10 mm long, glabrous; stigma capitate, suborbicular, ca. 1 mm across, impressed in the center. Capsule linear, ca. 2 cm long and 3mm across, glabrous.
Additional specimens examined. CHINA. Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region: Wuzhou City, suburb, 15 April 2007, Wei-Bin Xu and Yan Liu, 07235 (IBK).
Ecology. On moist rock face in a ravine.
Phenology. Flowering from March to April; fruiting from April to May.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Wuzhou City, Guangxi, China (Figure 4).
Etymology: The specific epithet 'dayaoshanioides' is derived from Dayaoshania to highlight its close affinity to Dayaoshania cotinifolia (synonym of Oreocharis cotinifolia).
Figure 4. Distribution of Oreocharis dayaoshanioides (■) and O. cotinifolia (•) in Guangxi, China
Herbs perennial, stemless. Rhizome subterete, ca. 1 cm in diam. Leaves basal, 7-12, petiolate; blades papery, ovate to elliptic, 3-8.5 x 2.5-5.5 cm, apex acute, base slightly oblique, cuneate to widely cuneate, margin distinctly serrulate, adaxially villous, abaxially villous along the nerves; lateral veins 4-6 on each side of midrib, impressed adaxially and prominent abaxially; petiole 2-6.5 cm long, villous. Scapes 2-10, 5.5-15 cm high, purple pilose, cymes 1-4-branched, flowers numerous; bracts 2, opposite, linear, 4.5-8 x 1.5-3 mm, margin entire, pilose abaxially; pedicels 0.8-1.7 cm, pilose, hairs purple.. Calyx 5-lobed almost to the base, lobes long ovate, 2-4 x 0.8-1.5 mm, margin entire, pilose abaxially. Corolla pink, 1.4-1.6 cm long, tube 5-6 mm long, 4-7 mm across; limb 2-lipped, 1.3-2 cm across, margin ciliate; adaxial lip 3-5 mm long, 2-parted, lobes broadly ovate to orbicular-ovate; abaxial lip 6-8 mm long, 3-lobed to middle, lobes broadly ovate to orbicular-ovate, ca. 7 mm wide. Stamens 2, (occasionally 1 or 3), adnate to ca. 0.6 mm above corolla base; filaments narrowly linear, 8-12 mm long, glabrous; anthers dim gray,
Pollen grains (SEM): size(pxE1), 20.8(18.9-21.6) x 13.6(12.2-14.3) [im, circular in polar view and elliptical in equatorial view, tricolpate, colpi long, wide, exine bear­ing reticulate ornamentation, without granule in lumina (Figure 5).
Proposed IUCN Red List category. Current informa­tion shows that the new species is known only from one population with fewer than 250 mature individuals. We therefore assess Oreocharis dayaoshanioides as critically endangered (CR) using the IUCN categories and criteria (IUCN, 2001).
Notes. Oreocharis dayaoshanioides is similar to O. cotinifolia (synonym: Dayaoshania cotinifolia), from which it can be distinguished by a leaf margin distinctly serrulate (vs. margin nearly entire to indistinctly crenulate), cymes 1-4-branched, flowers numerous (vs. cymes lax, 1-2-flowered), lobes of abaxial lip broadly ovate to orbicular-ovate (vs. triangular), pistil glabrous (vs. puberulent). A comparison of salient characters between the two species is shown in Table 1.
Figure 5. Pollen grain of Oreocharis dayaoshanioides under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). A, Equatorial view; B, Partial view.
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Table 1. Comparison of Oreocharis dayaoshanioides and O. cotinifolia.
Oreocharis dayaoshanioides
Oreocharis cotinifolia
Leaf
Margin
Distinctly serrulate
Subentire to obscurely crenulate
Adaxial surface
Villous
Pubescent
Cymes
2-10, each 1-4-branched
2-4, lax
Flowers
Numerous per cyme
1 or 2 per cyme
Lobes of abaxial lip
Broadly ovate to orbicular-ovate
Triangular
Pistil
Glabrous
Puberulent
Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Prof. Fa-Nan Wei (IBK) and Dr. Sheng-Xiang Yu (PE) for assistance in the course of preparing this paper; Mr. Shun-Qing He (IBK) for the handsome drawing; Mr. Qiu Huang for field assistance and color photos of the new species. The study was supported by the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (grant no. 2010GXNSFE013004 and 2011GX-NSFE018001) and the Foundation of Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sci-ences to Yan Liu, a National Geographic Society Grant # 8358-07 to Ching-I Peng, Yan Liu and Kuo-Fang Chung, and a grant from the National Science Council, Taiwan (NSC 99-2621-B-001-001-MY3) to Ching-I Peng and Kuo-Fang Chung.
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中國廣西東部苦苣苔科一稀有新種植物：齒葉瑤山苣苔
劉 演1 許為斌1 黃俞淞1 彭鏡毅2 鍾國芳3
1廣西壯族自治區中國科學院廣西植物研究所
2中央研究院生物多樣性研究中心植物標本館
3國立臺灣大學森林環境暨資源學系
本文報導了中國廣西壯族自治區馬鈴苣苔屬（苦苣苔科）一新種：齒葉瑤山苣苔 (Oreocharis
dayaoshanioides Yan Liu & W. B. Xu)，並提供了線繪圖和彩色照片以資辨認。齒葉瑤山苣苔與瑤山苣苔
(Oreocharis cortwfolia)相似，但不同在於葉邊緣具明顯的鋸齒，聚繖花序1-4回分枝，花多數，花冠
簷部上唇裂片寬卵形至圓形，雌蕊無毛。齒葉瑤山苣苔極其稀有，目前在廣西僅知一個分布點。
關鍵詞：瑤山苣苔屬；瑤山苣苔；齒葉瑤山苣苔；苦苣苔科；廣西；新種；稀有植物。