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A new species Sinosenecio yangii D.G. Zhang & Q. Zhou (Asteraceae, Senecioneae) from Guizhou Province, China, is described and illustrated based on its morphological characteristics and molecular evidence. It closely resembles S. confervifer and S. guangxiensis, the former in the scapigerous habit and smooth and glabrous achene surface, the latter in the calyculate involucre and purple abaxial leaf surface, and both in the shape and indumentum of leaf lamina, but differs markedly from the latter two in having fewer capitula and epappose achenes. Phylogenetic analysis based on nrITS and ndhC-trnV sequences shows that this new species belongs to the S. latouchei clade and is sister to S. guangxiensis with moderate support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youngia hangii T.Deng, D.G.Zhang, Qun Liu & Z.M.Li, sp. nov., a new species of Asteraceae, is described and illustrated. It was collected in Wufeng County, Hubei Province, Eastern Central China. Youngia hangii is morphologically most similar to Y. rubida, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by capitula with 8-10 florets and the hairy leaf surface. Phylogenetic analyses, based on the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and one chloroplast marker (rps16), showed that Y. hangii and Y. rubida were sister species with good support. The results of both phylogenetic analysis and the morphological data support the specific rank of Y. hangii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mazus lanceifolius (Mazaceae) is a perennial herb with opposite leaves and endemic to central China that has not been collected for 130 years. Rediscovery of this enigmatic species in the wild allows for determination of its phylogenetic position within Mazaceae. Phylogenetic reconstruction of Mazaceae based on DNA sequences from four plastid markers (matK, rbcL, rps16 and trnL-trnF) and nuclear ribosome ITS consistently showed that Mazus was not monophyletic. Mazus lanceifolius is in the most basal clade within Mazaceae, as sister to the remaining species of three recognized genera Dodartia, Lancea and Mazus. These results support the separation of M. lanceifolius from Mazus as a new genus, which was established here as Puchiumazus Bo Li, D.G. Zhang & C.L. Xiang. Meanwhile, a collection from Shennongjia Forestry District of Hubei Province, China, misidentified as "M. lanceifolius" in previous molecular study, is here revealed to represent an undescribed species of Mazus, i.e., M. fruticosus Bo Li, D.G. Zhang & C.L. Xiang, sp. nov. Morphologically, Puchiumazus is clearly distinct from the other three genera by having quadrangular to somewhat ribbed stems, and obviously opposite leaves. In addition, we provide a taxonomic key to the four genera of Mazaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geum sunhangii - first discovered in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, Hubei Province, China - is described as a new species of Rosaceae. Compared to all known Chinese Geum species, the new species differs by possessing jointed styles, imbricate petals and a reniform radical leaf terminal leaflet. Most significantly, the jointed style is curved at an obtuse or a right angle. In addition, the inclusion of this species within the genus Geum was supported by phylogenetic analysis using the sequence data of a nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and a chloroplast trnL-trnF intergenic spacer. The new species was found to be closely related to G. rivale and G. aleppicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report provides a description of Primula sunhangii from the Shennongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province in Central China, which is categorized as a new species of the primrose family. Primula sunhangii is morphologically similar to P. involucrata Wall. ex Duby in terms of its simple umbel, efarinose, and prolonged bracts. However, P. sunhangii is distinguished by its glabrous sepal, short petiole (compare with blade) and cylindrical calyx and capsule. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear and cpDNA genes demonstrates that P. sunhangii and P. involucrata are closely related. Combining genetic and morphological data, the recognition of P. sunhangii as a unique new species is supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe Oxytropis shennongjiaensis, a new species of Fabaceae from Central China (Hubei Province). Morphologically, O. shennongjiaensis is closely similar to O. sitaipaiensis, O. melanocalyx and O. kansuensis, but differs in stem characters, with less conspicuous internodes; persistent herbaceous stipules; pale yellow to white corolla; and stipitate legumes, 3-5 mm with a long beak. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and two chloroplast markers (trnL-F and psbA-trnH), also identified O. shennongjiaensis as a new species, which is consistent with our morphological analyses. Considering the morphological data and phylogenetic data presented here, we believe that this evidence satisfies the required diagnostic criteria to identify O. shennongjiaensis as a new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Lysimachia, L. xiangxiensis (Primulaceae), is described and illustrated from western Hunan, central China. The species is similar to L. melampyroides in plant densely strigillose, leaves subglabrous adaxially, and flowers usually solitary in axils of upper leaves, but differs by the succulent leaves, the creeping or ascending stems 15-25 cm long, and the suborbicular to broadly elliptic corolla lobes. This new species is also supported by a molecular phylogenetic analysis of some Lysimachia species based on ITS sequence data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silene sunhangii, a new species of Caryophyllaceae known from only three populations in Hubei and Hunan provinces of central China, is described. Both morphological and molecular data were used to assess the taxonomic status and relationships of this species. Morphologically, S. sunhangii is most similar to S. platyphylla Franch. from which it differs most readily in having 3-veined elliptical leaves without pubescence, tasseled catacorolla, pale purple to red petals without a linear lobe or narrow tooth and lanceolate, bifid to one third. A phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ITS region identified the new species as a well-supported, independent lineage. Our new species is nested within a grade that encompasses species representing a polyphyletic Silene sect. Physolychnis (Benth.) Bocquet. Both the genetic and morphological data support the recognition of Silene sunhangii as a distinct species, although there is inconsistency between these two datasets as to the relationships of the new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines phylogenetic relationships among the 12 genera of Urticeae (Urticaceae) and investigates the pattern of morphological evolution based on analysis of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrlTS) and two plastid DNA regions (rbcL exon, trnL-F spacer). Sequence data were analyzed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference, and selected morphological traits were mapped onto the molecular tree. The molecular results strongly supported monophyly of Urticeae, excluding Gyrotaenia, which is related to Elatostemateae. All genera were monophyletic except for Urtica, Laportea, and Urera. Two Hesperocnide species are nested within Urtica. Laportea and Urera are divided into three groups with a strong geographical signal. The inferred phylogeny indicates five well-supported clades in Urticeae: clade A including Urtica (with Hesperocnide), Zhengyia, Laportea I, and Nanocnide\ clade B comprising Dendrocnide and Discocnide\ clade C including only Girardinia; clade D including Laportea II; and clade E including Obetia, Urera I, II, III, and Poikilospermum. Although it is difficult to identify morphological synapomorphies for these well - defined clades within Urticeae, character analysis shows that the herbaceous habit and alternate leaves are the ancestral states in the tribe. The presence of stinging hairs is the derived status in Urticeae, and it might have been a key innovation triggering species diversificati on in the tribe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinosenecio albonervius Y. Liu & Q. E. Yang, a new species from Hunan and Hubei, China, is described and illustrated. Its chromosome number (2n = 48) is reported here. Its karyotype is formulated as 2n = 42m + 2sm + 4st. This new species is similar to S. palmatisectus C. Jeffrey & Y. L. Chen in the posture, the palmately-divided leaves and the epappose achenes, but differs in its leaves shallowly 7-9-palmatilobed to 1/4- 1/3, matte-green adaxial surface, pubescence and white veins, deltoid lobes with remotely denticulate margins; and 9-13 ray florets. Line drawings, distribution map, light microscope (LM) microphotographs of floral characters of S. albonervius, and color photographs of both S. albonervius and S. palmatisectus are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinosenecio hupingshanensis Y. Liu & Q. E. Yang, a new species of the Asteraceae from Hunan and Hubei, China, is described and illustrated. Its karyotype is formulated as 2n = 44m + 2sm + 2st, giving a chromosome number of 2n = 48. This new species is similar to S. baojingensis Y. Liu & Q. E. Yang and S. denticulatus J. Q. Liu in its posture, floral morphology and pappose achenes. It differs from S. baojingensis in leaf shape and stature. From S. denticulatus it differs in the leaf-lamina being very indistinctly repand, pubescent above, the petioles expanded but never auriculate at the base, and in its smaller stature. Line drawings, distribution map, light microscope (LM) microphotographs of floral characters of S. hupingshanensis, color photographs of both S. hupingshanensis and S. denticulatus, and a key to aid in the identification of S. hupingshanensis and its possible relatives are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]