Return Verdesmum menglaense to the genus Hylodesmum (Fabaceae) based on morphological and molecular evidence

By

Song, Zhu-Qiu
Yao, Gang
Pan, Bo
Li, Jian-Wu
Huang, Xiangxu
Tan, Yunhong
Xu, Dongxian

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

126

Pages

1-12

Subjects

China , Leguminosae , Phylogeny , systematic position , taxonomy , trnL-F

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.126.34599

 

Abstract

Verdesmummenglaense (C. Chen & X. J. Cui) H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi is a rare species in the tribe Desmodieae (Fabaceae) from Southwest China. The morphological observation shows that the species has minute capitate stigma and ebracteolate calyces, which are entirely different from the funnel-shaped stigma and bracteolate calyces of the genus Verdesmum H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi, but are consistent with those of the genus Hylodesmum H. Ohashi & R. R. Mill. The generic placement of V.menglaense within Hylodesmum was further supported by molecular evidence. Therefore, this species should be returned to Hylodesmum as H.menglaense (C. Chen & X. J. Cui) H. Ohashi & R. R. Mill. A full description including floral characters, a colour plate and a distribution map are first provided here for this species. After excluding the solo representative in China, Verdesmum should be removed from the record in Flora of China.