Ligularia monocephala Long Wang, 2022

Fei, Wen-Qun, Deng, Tao & Wang, Long, 2022, Ligularia monocephala (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a remarkable new species from Hubei, China, PhytoKeys 189, pp. 51-60 : 51

Ligularia monocephala Long Wang sp. nov.

Figures 1 , 2

Diagnosis.

Readily distinguishable in the whole genus by the character combination of the reniform to cordate-reniform leaf blades which are purplish red abaxially and palmately-pinnately veined, the solitary and erect capitula, and the pappus which are as long as, or slightly longer, than tube of the tubular corolla.

Type.

China. Hubei Province, Shennongjia Forest Department, Shennongding Nature Reserve , Shennonggu valley , 31°26'19.36"N, 110°16'26.46"E, 2681 m a.s.l., on cliffs, 12 July 2021, W.Q. Fei & H.S. Wu 324 (holotype: IBSC; isotypes: IBSC, KUN) .

Description.

Perennial herb. Stems solitary, erect, 15-20 cm tall, ca. 3 mm in diam. at base, proximal to median part slightly brown puberulent and white arachnoid to glabrescent, distal part densely brownish pilose. Basal leaves ascending, long petiolate; petiole 5-10 cm long, not winged throughout; leaf blade reniform to cordate-reniform, 3.5-4.5(-6) cm long, 3.5-5(-7) cm wide, herbaceous, adaxially dark green, slightly shortly puberulent to glabrescent, abaxially purplish red, brownish puberulent at first, especially along veins, then becoming glabrescent, base cordate, margin regularly dentate, apex rounded or slightly obtuse; sinus narrow, basal lobes nearly rounded, slightly divergent; vein palmate-pinnate; primary veins 3-5. Stem leaves 4-6(-7). Proximal stem leaves usually 1, petiolate; petioles ca. 3 cm long, basally sheathed; sheath usually more or less broadened; leaf blade reniform to cordate-reniform, slightly smaller than basal leaves. Median stem leaves usually 1, nearly sessile; leaf blade usually less than 3 cm long and 3 cm wide; base slightly or enlarged sheathed. Distal stem leaves usually 2-5, much smaller and reduced, bract-like, lanceolate, 6-10 mm long, 1.5-3 mm wide; margin slightly ciliate or entire. Capitula solitary, erect, 5 cm in diam. including ray florets; bracts 1 or 2, lanceolate to subulate, 3-4 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. Involucres cylindrical, 11-14 mm high, 9-14 mm in diam., outside shortly brownish puberulent; receptacle densely shortly puberulent outside; phyllaries 9-10, spreading, in 2 rows; outer phyllaries narrowly oblong, 2-2.5 mm wide, apex acute; inner phyllaries oblong, ca. 3 mm wide, margin membranous, apex acute to obtuse. Ray florets 6-9, yellow; lamina oblong to elliptic, 3.0-3.5 cm long, 6-7 mm wide, apex acute, 3-denticulate; tube 5 mm long. Tubular florets numerous, yellow, ca. 2 cm long; tube 5 mm long; limb campanulate, 5-7 mm long; style 1.2 cm long. Achenes (immature) oblong, cylindrical, pale yellow, 3-4 mm long, glabrous. Pappus brown in the upper two-thirds, white (distal part) and purplish red (proximal part) in the lower one-third, 5-7 mm long, as long as, or slightly longer, than tube of tubular corolla.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ' monocephala ' alludes to occurrence of solitary capitulum per stem.

Phenology.

Flowering from July to August; fruiting in September.

Distribution and habitat.

This species is currently known only from Shennongjia of Hubei (Fig. 3 ). It grows in moist forests or on moist cliffs covered by mosses at elevations of between 2681-3026 m above sea level.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes).

China. Hubei: Shennongjia Forest District, Shennongding Scenic Spot, Badongya , on rocky cliffs, 10 July 1987, Anonymous 662 (HIB); Shennongjia Forest District , Shennongding Scenic Spot , Shennonggu valley , on moist cliffs covered by mosses, 31°26'42.95"N, 110°15'49.88"E, 3026 m a.s.l., 22 September 2020, L. Wang, X.Q. Guo & Q.E. Yang 4216 (IBSC); ibid., on cliffs, 2852 m, 9 August 2008, X.L. Yu et al. 080078 (CSFI); Shennongjia Forest District , precise locality unknown, 17 August 2012, D.G. Zhang 080826018 (JIU); Shennongjia Forest District , precise locality unknown, in rock crevices, 2800 m a.s.l., 2 September 1980, Z.E. Zhao 1609 (HIB) .

Figures

Figure 1. Photographs of Ligularia monocephala sp. nov. A habitat B, C habit. All photographs by Wen-Qun Fei.

Figure 2. Photographs of Ligularia monocephala sp. nov. A portion of stem B leaf blade (adaxial surface) C leaf blade (abaxial surface) D capitulum (top view) E capitulum (side view) F outer phyllaries (abaxial surface) G inner phyllaries (abaxial surface) H ray florets I tubular florets. All photographs by Wen-Qun Fei.

Figure 3. Distribution of Ligularia monocephala sp. nov. (black dot).