Ceropegia jinshaensis D.T.Liu & Z.K.Wu, 2019

Wu, Zhi-Kun, Cai, Jie, Cai, Lei & Liu, De-Tuan, 2019, Ceropegia jinshaensis (Apocynaceae), a new species from northwestern Yunnan, China, PhytoKeys 130, pp. 41-48 : 42-44

Ceropegia jinshaensis D.T.Liu & Z.K.Wu sp. nov. Figs 1 , 2 A–F

Diagnosis.

This species differs from the Nepalese C. meleagris by having heart-shaped leaves, a small and narrowed upper part of corolla tube, corolla lobes coherent at the top to form a pentagonal canopy and glabrous internal surface of corolla. It also differs from C. dorjei by having smaller corolla and differs from C. aridicola W. W. Smith by having a different shape of leaf apex, smaller flower, different corolla color and canopy structure.

Type.

CHINA. Yunnan: Ninglang county, in the vicinity of Ahai Dam, 27°19'56.80"N, 100°30'29.39"E, 1500 m a.s.l., on stony slope of dry and hot valley, 28 Aug 2015, Z.K. Wu et al. LJBG2015130 (holotype KUN!, isotype KUN!).

Description.

Perennial herbs 25-35 cm tall; Rootstock consisting of many fusiform roots, 3-7 cm long, 0.2-0.4 cm diameter. Stems creeping or decumbent, not twining, up to 95 cm long, solitary or branched from base, pubescent. Leaves opposite, blade heart-shaped, 1.6-2.3 × 1.3-1.8 cm, both surfaces pubescent, somewhat fleshy, base cordate, apex acute to subacute, margin entire, petioles 1.4-2.3 cm, pubescent. Inflorescences, 1 to 3-flowered, on short peduncle, 4 mm long, pedicel 3-5 mm long, green or pinkish white, pubescent. Sepals deeply 5-parted, lobes ovate-lanceolate, greenish or reddish at tip, 3 × 1 mm, outside sparsely pubescent. Corolla tubular with lobes facing upwards and fused at tips, 8-12 mm long, outside pale-green towards mouth of tube with dark purple speckles at the top part, sparsely pubescent, inside white to pale green with dark maroon irregular swellings in basal inflation of tube towards mouth; tube 10-11 mm long, with basal inflation 6-8 mm long, 5.0-6.5 mm diameter, then abruptly narrowing to 2 mm diameter and remaining the same width at mouth; lobes 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm broad at base, brown or purple both sides, joined at tips to form flat pentagonal canopy, apex emarginate or 2-cleft. Corona 4.0-4.5 × 4-5 mm, sessile; outer lobes 3-4 mm, notched in middle to ca. 1/3, pinkish with purple verrucae and many white hairs; inner lobes 2.5-3.0 mm, purple or pink, glabrous. Follicles, 3.8-5.5 cm long, 3.5-4.5 mm diameter in the middle, glabrous.

Etymology.

Ceropegia jinshaensis is named after its type locality, which lies along the Jinsha River.

Vernacular name.

Chinese mandarin: jin sha jiang diao deng hua (金沙江吊灯花).

Phenology.

This new species was observed flowering from July to August and fruiting from August to October.

Distribution and habitat.

Ceropegia jinshaensis is currently known from two localities in NW Yunnan and grows on the open stony slope of dry-hot valley along the Jinsha River dominant by Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw., Vitex negundo L. thicket and with Hibiscus aridicola J. Anthony, Hemerocallis fulva (L.) L. and Munronia pinnata (Wall.) W. Theob.

Conservation status.

Only known from two gatherings. The population of type locality is ca. 0.5 km downstream from the crest of Ahai dam; the original habitat could be disturbed or changed by human activities such as road expansion and other building construction. Based on the IUCN criteria 3.1 ( IUCN 2012), the conservation status is categorized as Critically Endangered (CR A3c+B2b (iii)).

Additional specimens examined

(paratypes). CHINA: Yunnan, Yulong County, Fengke, 27°35'35.06"N, 100°26'22.11"E, 1619 m a.s.l., 22 Sep 2015, J.D. Ya and C. Liu 15CS11213 (paratype KUN!).

Figures

Figure 1. Ceropegia jinshaensis sp. nov. A plant B flower with young follicles C leaf D corolla tube dissected showing corolla interior and corona position E side view of corona F front view of corona. Drawn by Rongmei Zhang from holotype.

Figure 2. Morphological comparisons of C. jinshaensis and closely related species: A-F C. jinshaensis A plant B, C leaves and flowers D immature follicles E front view of flower showing pentagonal canopy F dissected corolla tube showing interior of basal corolla tube and corona G leaves and flower of C. aridicola. Photographed by Z. K. Wu.