Wikstroemia fragrans (Thymelaeaceae, Daphneae), a new species from Mount Danxia, China based on morphological and molecular evidence

By

Jingrui, Chen
Lee, Shiou Yih
Guo, Jianqiang
Jin, Jiehao
Fan, Qiang.
Liao, Wenbo

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

213

Pages

67--78

Subjects

Danxia landform , Flora , internal transcribed spacer (ITS) , IUCN Redlist , phylogenetics , taxonomy , Wikstroemia

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.213.91116

 

Abstract

A new species, Wikstroemia fragrans (Thymelaeaceae, Daphneae), from Danxiashan National Park, Shaoguan, Guangdong of China is described and illustrated. It is similar to the sympatric W. trichotoma, but can be differentiated easily from the latter by its shorter racemose inflorescences, yellowish green calyx tube, and smaller leaves. It also resembles the allopatric W. fargesii, but differs from it by its strigose-pubescent ovary and disk scale that is 2- or 3-dentate apically. Phylogenetic analysis using the nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region revealed that W. fragrans falls within the Wikstroemia clade; based on current sampling, W. fragrans is closely-related to W. capitata. It is also the first species of Wikstroemia known to be endemic to the Danxia landform and is classified provisionally as Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.