Gagea jensii, Levichev Jens Peterson Doerte Harpke Martin Schnittler, 2011

Levichev Jens Peterson Doerte Harpke Martin Schnittler, Angela Peterson Igor G., 2011, New insights into the phylogeny and taxonomy of Chinese species of Gagea (Liliaceae) - speciation through hybridization, Organisms Diversity & Evolution (New York, N. Y.) 11 (5), pp. 387-407 : 390

Gagea taxa of Xinjiang

Four Gagea species occurred around Urumqi: G. bulbifera , G. ova , G. jensii sp. nov. and G. nigra (emendated in this study; see Taxonomic treatment and Appendix 2 in the Electronic supplementary material). Due to extreme overgrazing by goats, Gagea species occur only in steppe remnants persisting in parks and cemeteries, and rarely in rock fissures outside the city.

In the Bogda-Shan range of the eastern Tian-Shan, we observed G. angelae sp. nov., G. rufidula , G. davlianidzeae , G. nigra and G. liotardii . Within populations of G. angelae I. Levichev , we identified two other species of Sect. Gagea : G. huochengensis sp. nov. and G. cf. xiphoidea . The latter taxon was observed with only two vegetative individuals, generative samples could not be detected in our collection of over 450 samples of G. angelae . Gagea huochengensis was also found in limited numbers, but with sterile and flowering individuals. Most species had large populations, and widespread cow grazing during summer months seemed to promote their growth. Gagea angelae , G. huochengensis and G. jensii are described below (Taxonomic treatment, see also Figs. 1 , 2 and 3 and Appendix 2 of the Electronic supplementary material for Latin descriptions). Color plates for G. angelae , G. jensii , G. nigra , G. rufidula and G. davlianidzeae are shown in Appendix 3 of the Electronic supplementary material.

Taxonomic treatment

Gagea nigra L.Z. Shue 1980 . Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin., 14: 282, 68, Pl. 16, emend. Schnittler, hoc loco (see Appendix 2 of Electronic supplementary material for translation of the original Chinese description)

Diagnosis A G. granulosa Turcz. et G. davlianidzeae Levichev plantae minutie et bulbillo vegetativo solitario differt. A G. filiformis (Ledeb) . Kar. et Kir. (syn. G. sacculifera Regel ) folio pedunculo inferiore latior, perianthii segmentis basi planis (non saccatis), dorso villosis, facie exteriore bulborum subnigri, nonnunquam violaceis coloribus, differt.

Figures

Fig. 1 a—g Gagea angelae spec. nov. a Whole flowering plant lacking bulbils; b bulb of a strong vegetative plant, devel- oping a stolon with a group of bulbils at the tip; remnants of the stolon of the previous year are visible at the opposite side of the parent bulb (arrow); c tetrangular cross section of the peduncle of a flowering plant below the inflorescence; d cross-section of the middle part of the basal leaf; e tip of the basal leaf; f cross-section of the lower floral leaf, arrows in c, d, and f indicate subepidermal sclerenchyma; g flower, two perianth leaves removed to show the ovary

Fig. 2 a—k Gagea jensii spec. nov. a Flowering plant; b peduncle, cross-section; inner channel partly filled with dry parenchyma; c cross-section of basal leaves at various levels; d cross-section, lower part of a middle stem leaf; e juvenile plant originating from a bulbil in its 1st year; f cross-section through the single basal leaf; g bulb of a weak vegetative plant with one bulbil; h, h′ the same in dorsal and lateral view, outer tunic removed; i inflorescence with one mature capsule, the second flower often fails to set seed; j capsule seen from above; k seed in lateral view; chalaza at the right; k′ seed seen from the chalazial end