Primulina fengkaiensis Z. L. Ning & M. Kang, 2015

Ning, Zu-Lin, Pan, Bo & Kang, Ming, 2015, Primulina fengkaiensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from limestone areas in Western Guangdong, China, Phytotaxa 197 (4), pp. 296-300 : 297-299

Primulina fengkaiensis Z. L. Ning & M. Kang , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–2 )

Type: — CHINA. Guangdong: Zhaoqing City, Fengkai, 23.63°N, 111.86°E, elevation ca. 180 m, on limestone rock face in a Karst area ; 15 Dec. 2011, Ming Kang et al GDFK06 (holotype: IBSC!) .

Perennial herbs.Rhizome subterete, 4–6 cm long, 2–3 cm in diameter.Leaves opposite, 15–30. Petiole 2–6 cm long, 0.6– 1.5 cm wide, appressed pubescent; Leaf blade elliptic to elliptic–lanceolate, asymmetric, 10–21 × 4–8 cm, herbaceous, apex acute, base broadly cuneate, decurrent, margin serrate, adaxially pubescent, abaxially appressed pubescent; lateral veins 5–7 on each side of the midrib, impressed adaxially and prominent abaxially. Cymes 3–12, 1–2–branched, 3–9–flowered; peduncle 8–15 (–22) cm long, pubescent; bracts 2, opposite, lanceolate, 0.8–1.5 × 0.4–0.5 cm, margin entire or 2–5 inconspicuous crenulate, apex acute, pubescent. Pedicel 2.2–4 cm long, pubescent. Calyx 5–lobed nearly to the base, lanceolate or linear–lanceolate, 0.8–1.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm, margin entire or 2–3 inconspicuous crenulate, pubescent. Corolla pale purple, with purple marks and purple stripes inside, 5–6.5 cm long, pubescent outside, sparsely puberulent in purple marks and adnate position of stamen and staminodes inside; tube narrowly funnelform, 3–3.8cm long, orifice 1.8–2 cm in diameter; adaxial lip 2–lobed to base, lobes broadly ovate or suborbicular, 1.3–1.8 × 1.5–2 cm, apex truncate or retuse; abaxial lip 3–lobed, 1/6 to 2/7of total corolla length, lobes obovate, 2–2.4 × 1.8–2 cm, apex truncate or retuse. Fertile stamens 2, adnate to 1.2–1.5 cm above the base of the corolla tube, filaments geniculate near the middle, 1.2–1.5 cm long, glabrous, anthers ca. 5 mm long, densely barbate on back side. Staminodes 2, 5–8 mm long, sparsely glandular pubescent, slightly enlarged at apex, adnate to 0.8–1.2 cm above the base of the corolla tube. Disc annular, ca. 1.5 mm high, glabrous, margin repand. Pistil 3–3.8 cm long; ovary slightly falcate, ca. 2 cm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter, densely villous; style 1–1.2 cm long, densely pubescent; stigma 4–5 mm long, 2–lobed, lobes ovate. Capsule straight, linear, ca. 5.5 cm long, 3–4 mm in diameter, densely villous. Seeds elliptic, ca. 0.5 mm long.

Distribution and habitat:— Primulina fengkaiensis is currently known from a few local populations in a narrow limestone area in Fengkai County and Huaiji County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong, China. During field surveys in Fengkai County, we found that it is locally abundant and grows mainly on moist rock faces. It is easy to breed. We introduced some individuals from the field population into cultivation in the South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China in 2011. Now they have been blooming into colonies.

Phenology:— Flowering occurs in Mar.–May., and fruiting occurs in May–Jun.

Relationships:— Primulina fengkaiensis is similar to P. baishouensis (Y.G. Wei, H.Q. Wen & S.H. Zhou) Y.Z. Wang and P. gueilinensis (W.T. Wang) Y.Z. Wang , but differs by leaf blades being elliptic to elliptic–lanceolate, 10–21 × 4–8 cm, margin with serrate, leaf blade adaxially sparsely pubescent, petiole 0.8–1.5 cm wide, pedicel 2.2–4 (–7.5) cm long, cymes 3–5–flowered, stigma 4–5 mm long, lobes ovate. A detailed morphological comparison of the three species is shown in Table 1.

Etymology:— The specific epithet is derived from the name of the type locality, Fengkai County, Guangdong Province, China.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Primulina fengkaiensis. A. Habit. B. Flower side view. C. Flower face view. D. Corolla opened showing stamens and staminodes. E, F. Stamens. G. Pistil. Drawn by Yun-Xiao Liu, based on the holotype.

FIGURE 2. Primulina fengkaiensis. A. Habit. B. Plant cultivated in SCBG. C. Leaf blade. D. Bracts. E. Calyx lobes. F. Flower face view. G. Flower side view. H, I. Corolla opened showing stamens and staminodes. J. Pistil. K. Stigma. L. Capsule. M. Seeds.