Balanophora xinfeniae (Balanophoraceae), a new species from Xizang, China

By

Fu, Chen-Long
Zhou, Jia-Ning
Liao, Wei-Hua
Zhang, Tong
Xu, Bo
Li, Meng

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-11-19

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

266

Pages

241--252

Subjects

Balanophora xinfeniae , China , holoparasitic plants , Phylogeny , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.266.147400

 

Abstract

<br> Balanophora xinfeniae<br> C.L.Fu, M.Li &amp; B.Xu, a new species discovered in Xizang, China, is described and illustrated here. Molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons strongly support<br> B. xinfeniae<br> as a new species within the genus<br> Balanophora<br> . The most distinctive characteristic of the new species is its dioecious sexual system, with male flowers having a 3-lobed perianth, opposite leaves with serrated tips, and yellow scapes. Although it shares morphological similarities with<br> B. henryi<br> ,<br> B. xinfeniae<br> can be distinguished by its flat spheroid tubers without stellate lenticels, yellow scape, prominently serrated apical leaf margins, and nearly spherical or ovoid-ellipsoid female inflorescences.<br>