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Thrixspermum taeniophyllum is described as a new orchid species from Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province of southwest China. It is morphologically similar to T. japonicum, but it differs from the latter in having branched stems, slightly fleshy strapshaped leaves, longer inflorescences with 3–6 flowers and a capitate gynandrium with a lip-shaped mouth opening. Its species status is also supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and three chloroplast DNA fragments (matK, psbA-trnH and trnL-F), which showed distinct systematic boundaries from the most morphologically similar T. japonicum and their morphological relatives T. saruwatarii and T. pygmaeum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and illustrates a new species of Primulaceae, Primula wolongensis sp. nov. from Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province, China. It is very rare and currently only known from its type locality. The new species belongs to subsection Chartacea of the section Petiolares on account of lacking bud scales at flowering, being efarinose and having distinct petiolate leaves with more or less rounded lamina. The new species can be differentiated from other members of the subsection by leaf blade margin dentate, and leaf veins which are not raised, scape shorter than or equal to pedicels, yellow flowers and location of stamens of the corolla tube at thrum flower. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) demonstrated that P. wolongensis was sister to subgen. Auriculastrum. Primula wolongensis is currently known from a single location in Wolong Town, and its conservation status is assessed as Data Deficient (DD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrochilus heminii (Orchidaceae), a new orchid species from Sichuan Province, Southwest China, is described and illustrated. It morphologically resembles G. affinis and G. yei, but differs markedly from the former in having a thinner and slightly rolled downwards reniform epichile and the central thickened purple-red mat with irregular folds (vs. subtriangular epichile curves upwards, with 2 thick, brown to purplish- brown median ridges from base to apex), and can be clearly distinguished from the latter by having reniform epichile with lobed apex and subconical hypochile with bilobed apex that splits into two conical protrusions (vs. semi-rounded epichile not lobed and subconical hypochile not bilobed). The results of molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and four chloroplast DNA fragments (matK, psbA-trnH, psbM-trnD, and trnL-F) of 36 Gastrochilus species showed that G. heminii was closely related to G. affinis and G. distichus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ponerorchis wolongensis, a new orchid species from the Hengduan Mountains, western Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated here based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Morphologically, the new species is similar to P. capitata, but they can easily be differentiated by the number of leaves and flowers, the shape of leaves, and the mid‐lobe of the labellum. Phylogenetically, based on seven DNA sequences, the new species is more close to P. sichuanica, but these two species are very different in both growth habit and morphological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiopteris nodosipetiolata Ting Wang tris, H.F.Chen & Y.H.Yan, a new fern of Marattiaceae, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, A. nodosipetiolata is similar to A. chingii with more than one naked pulvinus on the stipe and numerous jointed hairs on the undersides of the mature pinnae. However, the pinnae of A. nodosipetiolata are lanceolate and can reach up to 4–6 pairs, whereas they are elliptic and occur in 2–3 pairs in A. chingii. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analysis, based on the plastid genomes, also indicates that A. nodosipetiolata is not closely related to A. chingii. Currently, there are ca. 500 mature individuals in Gulinqing Nature Reserve and we suggest A. nodosipetiolata should be categorised as an Endangered (EN) species according to the criteria of IUCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dipteris shenzhenensis, a new species of ferns from Shenzhen, Guangdong, southern China, is identified and described. It closely resembles D. chinensis but possesses several unique traits, such as long rhizome scales, castaneous stipe, and abaxially pale fronds with two fan-shaped fronds connected by a broad wing. Molecular evidence showed that D. shenzhenensis is allied to D. conjugata, whereas it has morphologically significant differences (P < 0.05) on the basis of quantitative trait statistical analysis. Overall, the morphological evidence, taken together with the result of cpDNA indicated that D. shenzhenensis is a distinct species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryopteris wulingshanensis, a new species growing on limestone in the Wulingshan Mountains, Hunan, China, is described and illustrated. This species is most similar to D. jishouensis and D. gymnophylla on general morphological traits, such as the form of scales, rhizome and sori, but differs by the number of vascular bundles at the base of the petiole, length to width ratio of lamina, stalk length of basal pinnae, division of the lamina, apex form of the pinnule and habitat. Moreover, molecular phylogenetic analysis using the chloroplast rbcL gene suggested that D. wulingshanensis, as the sister group of D. jishouensis, is a monophyletic clade. According to its restricted geographic range, small populations and few individuals, D. wulingshanensis should be considered endangered, according to the IUCN Red List criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eriophyoid mites from Qinghai Province, northwestern China were studied herein. Up to now, only six species have been reported from Qinghai Province. In field surveys, 17 eriophyoid mite species were collected, among which nine species were found new to science. The new species and their host plants are listed as follows: Acaphyllisa tuberculumae sp. n. on Populus sp. (Salicaceae); Proiectus xiningensis sp. n. on Pinus sp. (Pinaceae); Phyllocoptes beishaniensis sp. n. on Spiraea mongolica Maxim. (Rosaceae); Tetra pruniana sp. n. on Prunus tomentosa Thunb. (Rosaceae) Rupr. (Berberidaceae); Tetra pyriana sp. n. on Pyrus calleryana Decne. (Rosaceae); Tetra simonia sp. n. on Populus simonii Carr. (Salicaceae); Diptacus berberinus sp. n. on Berberis amurensis Rupr. (Berberidaceae); Diptacus mengdaensis sp. n. on Lonicera elisae Franch. (Caprifoliaceae); Rhyncaphytoptus spinus sp. n. on Lonicera rupicola Hook. f. et Thoms. (Caprifoliaceae). Aculops ulmi Hong & Xue, 2005 was re-described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]