Aletris guangxiensis Y.Nong & Y.F.Huang, 2024

Nong, You, Lai, Ke-Dao, Qin, Yun-Rui, Wei, Gui-Yuan, Yan, Ke-Jian, Xu, Chuan-Gui, Zhao, Zi-Yi, Hu, Ren-Chuan & Huang, Yun-Feng, 2024, Aletris guangxiensis (Nartheciaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China, PhytoKeys 237, pp. 79-89 : 79

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.237.115037
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D80EFD82-2EF2-558B-9133-B04AC87DCA9B
treatment provided by	PhytoKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Aletris guangxiensis Y.Nong & Y.F.Huang
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Aletris guangxiensis Y.Nong & Y.F.Huang sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4

Diagnosis.

Aletris guangxiensis is most similar to A. scopulorum , but it differs by inflorescence axis sparsely glandular (vs. pubescent), pedicel 5-8 mm (vs. 0.5-3.5 mm), bract borne at base of pedicel (vs. bract borne on the proximal 1/2 of the pedicel), lobes strongly recurved or revolute, linear, 4-7 × 0.2-0.5 mm (vs. erect or slightly recurved, narrowly oblong-lanceolate to linear, 1.5-2.5 × 0.3-0.7 mm). At first glance, it also looks similar to A. gracilis Rendle and A. cinerascens Wang & Tang, but differs by its inflorescence axis sparsely glandular (vs. glabrous), pedicel 5-8 mm (vs. 1-10 mm), perianth white (vs. yellowish, whitish or pinkish/yellowish). More detailed morphological differences amongst the four species are provided in Table 1 View Table 1 .

Holotype.

China. Guangxi: Cenxi, 22°44'5"N, 110°51'59"E, alt. 320 m, on the cliff next to the stream, 23 April 2020 Y Nong NY2020042301 (holotype GXMI! isotypes IBK!).

Description.

Herbs. Roots usually fibrous. Leaves in basal rosette, narrowly linear to lanceolate, 4-9 cm × 2-5 mm. Scape 5-18 cm, sparsely glandular, bract-like leaves 3-10 mm long in the middle and lower part. Raceme 2.5-9 cm, laxly 2-10(or more)-flowered; axis glandular. Flowers distinctly pedicellate; pedicel 5-8 mm, sparsely glandular, subtended by a bract borne at base of pedicel and bracteole borne on proximal 1/3 of pedicel above bract; bract and bracteole lanceolate, 2-4 mm, shorter than flower, apex subacute. Perianth white, glabrous, divided to the base; lobes strongly recurved or revolute, linear, 4-7 × 0.2-0.5 mm, apex obtuse. Filaments of stamens adnate to perianth, 3-4 mm. Style 0.2-0.5 mm; stigma conspicuously thickened, capitate. Fruits capsular, 3-locular; capsule turbinate, obovoid or oblong-obovoid, distinctly angular, 2-4 × 2-3 mm.

Phenology.

Flowering and fruiting in March to April.

Etymology.

Guangxi is located in the southwest of China and is a biodiversity hotspot where many new species or new species records have been found ( Hu et al. 2019; Luo et al. 2020; Feng et al. 2021; Xin et al. 2021; Huang et al. 2022; Nong et al. 2023). The new species, A. guangxiensis , is found in this region and is named after the geographic location.

Distribution and habit.

Known only from the southeast of Guangxi, China (Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ). The new species mainly occurs at elevations of 320 m. It has been mainly found on moist cliffs next to streams.

IUCN Red List Category.

Data available for the new species are still insufficient to assess its conservation status. According to the IUCN Criteria ( IUCN 2022), it is considered Data Deficient (DD) until more information becomes available. Although the population of A. guangxiensis is currently in relatively good conditions, further collection and monitoring are necessary to allow more conclusive estimations about the rarity and vulnerability of the species. Therefore, special attention should be given to the conservation of the new species of Aletris .

Additional specimen.

Cenxi. Southeast Guangxi: limestone hills, fl. 30 March 2023, G.Y. Wei WGY2023033001 (GXMI!).