Camellia zijinica (Theaceae), a new species endemic to Danxia landscape from Guangdong Province, China

By

Lin, Min
Ye, Qin-Liang
Zhang, Zhi-Jian
Liao, Wenbo
Fan, Qiang.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

237

Pages

245--255

Subjects

Camellia , Danxia landscape , Morphology , new species , Phylogeny

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.237.114768

 

Abstract

A new species of the genus Camellia (Theaceae), Camellia zijinica, discovered in the Danxia landscape from Guangdong Province, China, is characterized and illustrated. Phylogenetic analysis based on chloroplast genomes suggested its affinity with C. drupifera, C. oleifera and C. fluviatilis, however, it morphologically differs from all of the latter by leaf shape and size. Phonologically, it most closely resembles C. microphylla, but can be distinguished from the latter by its young branchlets glabrous (vs. densely pubescent), fewer bracteoles and sepals, diverse leaf shape, midvein raised slightly with sparsely pubescent or glabrous (vs. prominently with densely pubescent) and leaf adaxially matt (vs. vernicose) when dried. By morphological and molecular analyses, Camellia zijinica represented a distinct new species of C. sect. Paracamellia.