Sedum orientalichinense Q. Fan & P. Li, 2025

Dai, Jing-Min, Xiong, Yu, Li, Pan, Xu, Yue-Liang & Fan, Qiang, 2025, A new species of Sedum (Crassulaceae) from eastern China based on morphological and molecular evidence, PhytoKeys 253, pp. 271-285 : 271-285

Sedum orientalichinense Q. Fan & P. Li sp. nov.

Type.

China • Jiangxi Province, Fuzhou City, Mount Matoushan, Baishakeng , on rocky cliff, 27.77 ° N, 117.23 ° E, 424 m a. s. l., 29 June 2023, Xiong Y. 23062901 (holotype: SYS 00236991 ) .

Diagnosis.

The new species differs from S. makinoi in its usually 2 - branched cymes. S. makinoi also has longer, more erect stems with more internodes (8–12 vs. 4–8), resulting in denser foliage, whereas the new species has fewer leaves. Key differences include the shape and width of the leaf blades of S. orientalichinense and S. makinoi (obovate to obovate-rhombic vs. obovate to obovate-spatulate; 0.6–2.4 cm vs. 0.6–0.8 cm), shorter stems (6–18 cm vs. 11–28 cm), and a usually smaller inflorescence diameter (3–10 cm vs. 3–15 cm). The new species also has distinct sepals (spatulate-obelliptic vs. linear-spatulate) and nectar scales (broadly cuneate to sub-quadrangular vs. oblong-spatulate). Additionally, our research indicates that S. makinoi is endemic to Japan, which helps to distinguish the two species geographically. The new species can be distinguished from S. baileyi by its robust, slender to sub-woody stems (vs. slender stems) and greater height (6–18 cm vs. 3–7 cm) (Table 1 ). Lastly, S. emarginatum is easily identified by its emarginate leaf apex, a feature not found in the other three species (Table 1 ).

Description.

Perennial herbs, fleshy, glabrous, roots fibrous, stems slender to sub-woody, basally prostrate and rooting at nodes, apically erect, usually branched, rarely single, flowering stems sub-erect, with 4–8 internodes, usually 2 - branched, rarely 3 - branched, 6–18 cm high. Leaves opposite, glabrous, pseudopetiolate; leaf blade obovate to obovate-rhombic, margin entire, 1.3–2.7 × 0.6–2.4 cm, base tapered and shortly spurred, apex obtuse. Cymes usually 2 - branched, rarely 3 - branched, many flowered, 3–10 cm in diam. Bracts resembling stem leaves but obovate and smaller, 0.3–2.1 × 0.1–1.2 cm. Flowers sessile, equally 5 - merous. Sepals 5, usually equal, rarely subequal, spatulate-obelliptic, 2–4 × 1–1.5 mm, base shortly spurred, apex obtuse. Petals yellow, base connate for ca. 0.3 mm, 3–5 × ca. 1 mm, lanceolate, apex acuminate, hooded. Stamens 10, in 2 whorls, both antesepalous ones and antepetalous ones shorter than petals, the antepetalous stamens fused at base for about 0.5 mm with the petal base, and the antepetalous ones slightly shorter the than antesepalous ones (1.3–1.4 vs. 0.9–1 cm). Nectar scales broadly cuneate to sub-quadrangular, ca. 0.5 mm long. Carpels 5, lanceolate, 4–5 mm long, connate at base for ca. 1 mm, apically usually divergent, sometimes closely connivent. Follicles obliquely divergent, stellate, many seeded, placentation marginal. Styles ca. 1 mm long. Seeds sub-ovoid, mammillate, brown when mature, 0.3–0.5 mm long.

Phenology.

Flowering from June to July, fruiting in July.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the distribution area of the species.

Vernacular name.

We propose a Chinese name, Huá dōng Jǐng Tiān (华东景天).

Distribution and habitat.

The new species is distributed in eastern China in Jiangxi and Zhejiang, provinces. It grows in rocky crevices and soil slopes in valleys at altitudes of 300–600 m a. s. l.

IUCN conservation status.

Due to its wider distribution and numerous individuals at each of the three investigation sites, S. orientalichinense should be considered as least concern (LC) ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2022).

Additional specimens examined.

Sedum orientalichinense (paratypes): China • Jiangxi Province, Mount Matoushan, Baishakeng , on rocky cliff, 27.77 ° N, 117.23 ° E, 424 m a. s. l. 21 May 2024, Xiong Y. 240521 ( SYS 00236993 ) • Longjing , in soily slope, 27.79 ° N, 117.24 ° E, 375 m a. s. l., Xiong Y. s. n., Li E. X & Li, J. X. NCU 2016 MTS 0221 ( JXU 0017056 ) • Zhejiang Province, Jiande City, Daciyan , Dai J. M 24040701 ( SYS 00237017 ) , Wenzhou City, Baizhangji , Dai J. M. ( SYS 00237018 ). Sedum emarginatum : China • Zhejiang Province, Migo H. s. n. ( ZNAS 00332278 , NAS 00071019 , NAS 00332264 ). Sedum baileyi : China • Jiangxi Province, Lushan Mountain, Peng Y. S. 21051101 ( SYS). Sedum makinoi : Japan • Nanokawa, Tosa, Makino T. 93 ( LE 01014732 , LE 01014733 ), Watanabe, K. s. n. ( HUH 01989208 ) • Nagasaki, Anonymous s. n. (K 000732545) • Okayama, Furuse M. 52653 ( PE 01135685 , PE 01135684 ), Furuse M. 51887 ( PE 01135678 ), Furuse M. 52825 ( PE 01135672 ), Furuse M. 52653 ( PE 01135686 ) • Yamaguchi, Saito, S. 3173 ( PE 01458488 ), Nikai J. s. n. (TNS-VS- 48304) • Tochigi, Furuse M. 14896 ( PE 01135683 ), Furuse M. 54759 ( PE 01135687 ), Nakamura s. n. ( KAG 046500 ), Yoshi K. 14896 ( KAG 175186 ) • Kumamoto, Sumihiko H. 44370 ( KAG 046490 ) • Saga, Bajou I. s. n. ( KAG 046495 ) • Shizuoka, Hideaki N. 4493 ( KAG 046499 ) • Oita, Sumihiko H. 44371 ( KAG 046504 ) • Hiroshima, Taizo M. 165 ( KAG 046497 ) • Saitama, Shigeki K. 1171 ( KAG 046502 ) • Hyogo, Fukuoka N. 13638 (TNS-VS- 564993) • Oity, Yamaki N., Herb. H. Koidzumi 97349 (TNS-VS- 480622), Herb. H. Koidzumi 97536 (TNS-VS- 480623) • Tokushima, Akiyama S. 20808 (TNS-VS- 775554) • Ehime, Koidzumi H. 99692 (TNS-VS- 480618).