Bredia changii, a new species of Melastomataceae from Jiangxi, China

Abstract

A new species, Bredia changii W.Y. Zhao, X.H. Zhan & W.B. Liao (Melastomataceae) is described from Jiangxi Province, China. Bredia changii is distinguished from other species of Bredia by its slender, creeping stem and terminal, solitary flower (seldom two flowers) and stamens almost equal in shape and length. The species is most similar to Bredia microphylla, which differs from the latter by the leaves 2–3.5 × 1.7–3.2 cm, papery, the margin obviously toothed, and homomorphic stamens, the connective without a short spur. The morphological characters of Fordiophyton repens are also similar to Bredia changii, but the stamens of F. repens are obviously dimorphic.