Hemiboea shimentaiensis S. Y. Miao, Y. Q. Li & T. Chen (Gesneriaceae), a new species from northern Guangdong, China

Abstract

Hemiboea shimentaiensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from northern Guangdong, China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to H. gamosepala, H. rubribracteata and H. malipoensis in the nearly white corolla, which appears in a few species of Hemiboea, and nearly glabrous inner base of the corolla tube. It can be easily distinguished from the latter three species by the stoloniferous habit, distinct silvery veins, glabrous corolla except for a ring of hairs inside, anther coherent along ventral face when young, but cohering apically at maturity, three separate staminodes with lateral ones resembling deformed anthers, and with few sterile pollen grains inside, to antheroids at the tips of the staminodes. The life cycle and fluctuations in the population are unknown and need further study, the conservation status of H. shimentaiensis was not assessed.