Thursday, January 11, 2018

[Botany • 2017] Primula zhui (Primulaceae) sp. nov. from south Yunnan, southwest China


Primula zhui   Y.H.Tan & B.Yang

in Yang, Ding, Li & Tan, 2017. 

Abstract
Primula zhui a new species of Primula endemic to the Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to P. intanoensis from Thailand, and P. calyptrata from southeast Yunnan, affiliated to Primula sect. Carolinella (Hemsl.) Pax. However, it is easily distinguished from the Thailand species by its longer corolla tube and distylous flowers, and it differs from the Chinese species by its leaf ovate to ovate-elliptic blade and distylous flowers.

Primula zhui sp. nov. (A) and (B) habit, (C) thrum flowers in anterior view, (D) pin flowers in anterior view,(E) inflorescence, showing the persistent calyx, (F) inflorescence in lateral view, showing the corolla tube,(G) pin and thrum flowers, (H) leaf blade in adaxial view, (I) leaf blade in abaxial view.
(Image by DING Hongbo)


Primula zhui is similar to P. intanoensis T. Yamaz. from Thailand and P. calyptrata X. Gong & R.C. Fang from China. But it is easily distinguished from P. intanoensis by its longer corolla tube (1.4–1.6 cm long, 2.0–2.5 times as long as the calyx) and distylous flowers, and from P. calyptrata by its ovate to ovate-elliptic leaf blade and distylous flowers. 

They named the new species as Primula zhui to honor Prof. ZHU Hua of XTBG, who worked on plant taxonomy and biogeog­raphy and made great contributions to the tropical flora in China, especially in south Yunnan.  

Primula zhui is endemic to south Yunnan, southwest China, only known from its type locality, Yixiang, Simao, Pu’er. It grows in the understory of subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests, at 1300–1500 m above sea level. 

Primula zhui is assessed as 'Critically Endangered' according to the IUCN standard. During the preliminary field survey in Simao County, the researchers found only three populations and less than 50 individuals in the type locality of about four sq.km. area in Yixiang.  


  

Yang Bin, Ding Hong-Bo, Li Zhi-Hong and Tan Yun-Hong. 2017. Primula zhui (Primulaceae) sp. nov. from south Yunnan, southwest China.  Nordic Journal of Botany. 35(6); 681–686. DOI: 10.1111/njb.01656

A New Species of Primulaceae Reported from South Yunnan -     english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/201801/t20180103_188661.shtml?bsh_bid=1920465863

New species of flowering plant discovered in SW China’s Yunnan. The Primula zhui flower is named after its discoverer xhne.ws/Va06u