Molecular, morphological, and morphometric evidence reveal a new, critically endangered rattlepod (Crotalaria, Fabaceae/Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) from tropical China

By

Rather, Shabir
Radbouchoom, Sirilak
Wang, Kaikai
Xiao, Yunxue
Liu, Hongmei
Schneider, Harald

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

242

Pages

333--348

Subjects

Biodiversity , Conservation , Crotalaria , endemism , Leguminosae , Xishuangbanna

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.242.122407

 

Abstract

Here, we describe a new species of Crotalaria L. discovered in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China. The new species, Crotalaria menglaensis S.A.Rather, was confirmed by identifying diagnostic morphological characteristics, performing principal component analyses of phenotypic traits, and phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS and plastid matK sequences. Phylogenetic analyses recovered the two accessions of the new species to be sister to C. bracteata Roxb. ex DC. In turn, these two species formed the sister clade to the two accessions of C. incana L. The morphometric analyses revealed that all three species were distinct, while the analyses of distinctive characters enabled unambiguous distinction of the new species by its growth habit, leaflets, flower structure and pod morphology. In contrast to the two related species, the new species is currently known only from ca. 100 mature individuals. Thus, this species is considered to be critically endangered.