Lilium punctulatum (Sealy) Y.M.Yuan & Y.D.Gao

Yuan, Yumei, Ju, Wen-Bin & Gao, Yundong, 2022, Lilium punctulatum (Liliaceae), a rare and endangered species from northwestern Yunnan, China, elevated from varietal to species status, Phytotaxa 558 (2), pp. 243-248 : 245

Lilium punctulatum (Sealy) Y.M.Yuan & Y.D.Gao , comb. & stat. nov. ( Fig. 1 .)

Type:— CHINA. West Yunnan, eastern boundary of Lijiang valley , 27° 25’ N, elevation ca. 3353 m. June 1910, Forrest 5816 (holotype: K000900813 , digital image!; isotypes: K000900814 , digital image!; PE00036102 , digital image!; PE00036109 , digit image!; IBSC0643956 digit image!; IBSC0643957 digit image!) .

The new species is most similar to L. basilissum and L. sealyi , which belong to subsection Nomocharis of Lilium , and has whorled leaves, a rose or pink cupular to flat perianth and swollen and cylindric filaments that become distally filiform. It can be distinguished by its elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic leaves, perianth with dark red spots decreasing from the base of the pinkish petals and margin of the inner tepals erose.

Perennial herbs, 30–70 cm tall. Bulbs ovoid-globose, 2.8–3.6 × 1.5–2.2 cm, scales white without a tunic. Stem glabrous, 20.2–36.6 cm. Leaves cauline, whorled, elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, 2.2–6.2 × 0.5–2.3 cm. Flowers 1– several. Perianth saucer-shaped, pinkish, crimson spots or blotches covering almost the whole petal, the deepest and most numerous at the base and gradually decreasing toward the distal end. Tepals 6, outer ovate, 2.4–3.8 × 1.0– 1.7 cm, margin entire; inner, ovate to orbicular, 2.2–3.6 × 1.4–3.0 cm, margin usually erose or lacerate; nectary processes 2, dark maroon, ridges of tissue arranged in a fan shape. Stamens 6, filaments, 5–6 mm long, consisting of a cylindrical body and thinner apex, bearing a yellow anther 4.0–5.0 × 2.0 mm. Ovary 6–7 mm, style clavate, ca. 7 mm with trilobed stigmas, 2–3 mm long.

Distribution and habitat:— Known only from the Lijiang Valley, Gongshan and Eryuan Counties, Yunnan Province, China. It prefers a moist environment generally above 3000 m with Rhododendron in coniferous forests and alpine meadows

Notes:— Lilium punctulatum has previously been confused with L. pardanthinum . Through field discoveries, literature survey and lab work, we find that Sealy’s form has discrete morphological features and relatively stable and distinguishable distribution and has persisted for a considerable time in northwestern Yunnan. The rapid diversification of this groups has caused low genetic divergence, common in this area in other groups ( Liu et al. 2006, Sun et al. 2012, Zhang et al. 2014). A more comprehensive sampling of the Nomocharis clade would contribute to a fuller understanding of these rapid events and their demographic history. Members of the Nomocharis clade possess great morphological variation and low molecular divergence ( Gao et al. 2012). Such inconsistency indicates there is no single universal standard to discriminate species and there is always a need for combining methods in a comprehensive investigation.

Conservation status: —The number of this individuals is extremely low, and only two to three mature individuals can be found in a single population. It is critically endangered and a “plant species with extremely small populations”. Due to less than 50 mature individuals in each subpopulation, we propose to classify L. punctulatum as critically endangered (CR; IUCN 2022), thus needing immediate protection.

Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Yunnan: Gongshan , 24 July 1989 , Xie 89017 ( KUN0833085 , KUN0833084 , KUN0833060 ); Gongshan , 2009, Gao GYD00160 ( CDBI); Eryuan, 30 June 1929 , Qin 23051 ( PE00036112 ); Eryuan, 6 June 1981 , Tang 277 ( PE01595944 ); Shweli-Salwin divide, Aug 1919 , Forrest 18274 ( PE00036111 ); Dali, 15 June 1945 , Wang 4756 ( IBSC0643952 , IBSC0643954 , PE00330353 ); Dali, 27 July 1933 , Tsai 53853 ( PE00330348 ); Dali , 1913, Forrest 11624 ( PE00330368 ); Dali, May 1935 , Wang 63214 ( PE00330356 , NAS00550392 ); Dali, May 1935 , Wang 63159 ( PE00330352 ); Ninglang, 27 June 1960 , Jiang et al. 6100 ( PE00330360 ); Lanping, 7 July 1960 , unknown collector 9808 ( PE00330362 ); Ludian, 22 July 1956 , PMao 00164 ( PE00330364 ); Ludian, 16 July 1956 , Mao 00111 ( PE00330366 ); Ludian, 23 June 1939 , Zhao 20928 ( PE00330363 ); Shangri-La, July 1918 , Forrest 16644 ( PE00330369 ); Dali, 30 May 1955 , Wu et al. 1424 ( PE00036107 ); Dali, 2 Mar 1890 , Delavay s.n. ( PE00036108 ); Dali , Qin 22712 ( PE00330346 ); Lanping, 28 June 1981 , Hengduan Mountains team of Beijing Botanical Institute 1194 ( PE00036101 , PE00330344 ); Huaping, 17 July 1960 , Jiang et al. 6232 ( PE00330345 ); Dali, June 1941 , Wang 837 ( PE00330351 , PE00330350 ); Dali, 3 September 1945 , Wang 4865 ( PE00330349 ) . Sichuan: Dechang , 3 June 1976 , Sichuan survey team of plant 11727 ( CDBI0165488 , CDBI0165487 , CDBI 0165486 , PE00330341 ); Zhaojue, 9 July 1976 , Sichuan team of plant 12922 ( CDBI0165485 , CDBI0165484 , PE00330340 ); Yuexi, 13 July 1959 , Liangshan survey team of wild plant 3920 ( CDBI0165483 , PE00330336 ); Leibo, 2 June 1959 , Sichuan survey team of economic plant 0846 ( CDBI0165481 , CDBI0165482 , PE00330335 , PE00330337 ); Muli, 4 July 1960 , Ying 4425 ( PE00330339 ); Miyi, 7 July 1983 Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau team 11802 ( PE01146039 , PE01146040 ); Yanyuan, 10 June 1984 , Chen et al. 6117 ( PE01377736 , PE01377739 , PE01377738 , PE 01377737 ); Puge, 4 Aug 1960 , Sichuan survey team of drug source 25058 ( NAS00550391 ); Yuexi, 14 June 1979 , unkonown collector 0534 ( SM722203826 ); Zhaojue, 26 June 1979 , Zhaojue survey team 0637 ( SM722203830 , SM722203831 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Morphological comparison of four species in Nomocharis. A.–E. Lilium punctulatum. A. Perianth spots. B. Spots at the base of perianth. C. Bulb. D. Habitat. E. Anatomical view. F.,G. Lilium pardanthinum. H.,I. Lilium sealyi. J.,K. Lilium basilissum. Photographs B,C,F and I provided by Li Meng of Nanjing Forestry University.