Three new species of Bredia (Sonerileae, Melastomataceae) from the Sino-Vietnamese border area

By

Dai, Jin-Hong
Nong, Shi-Yue
Guo, Xi-Bin
Truong, Do Van, 1984-
Liu, Xiaoyan
Zhou, Ren-Chao
Liu, Ying

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

195

Pages

107--125

Subjects

Bredia , karst , Melastomataceae , Phylogeny , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.195.83934

 

Abstract

Bredia bullata, B. enchengensis, and B. nitida (Sonerileae, Melastomataceae), three species occurring in Sino-Vietnamese limestone karst regions, are described as new. Molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological divergence indicate that these species are well separated from their close relatives in Bredia, justifying their recognition as distinct species. Bredia bullata is unique in its interveinal areas prominently bullate each with an apical seta, a character otherwise never recorded in the genus. Bredia nitida resembles B. malipoensis in habit, leaf shape, and inflorescence morphology, but differs in the glabrescent and nitid adaxial leaf surface (vs. densely pubescent and subvelvety), ovate-elliptic or elliptic calyx lobes (vs. triangular to semiorbicular), and white petals (vs. purplish-red). Bredia enchengensis is closest to B. longiradiosa, but easily recognized by its prostrate habit (vs. erect), the yellowish-green, membranous and fragile leaves (vs. green or dark green, papery), and white anthers (vs. pink to purplish). These new discoveries show that further botanical exploration is warranted in the remote Sino-Vietnamese bordering region.