New or Noteworthy Species of Cardamine (Brassicaceae) from China

Abstract

Cardamine changbaiana, C. fargesiana, and C. lihengiana are described as new, and their relationships and distinguishing characters are discussed. The new combination C. purpurascens is proposed, and a detailed description and specimen citation of this poorly understood species of Cardamine are provided. During revision of the Brassicaceae for the forthcoming volume 8 of the Flora of China, it became necessary to provide formal description of the following novelties to make the names available for this volume. Cardamine changbaiana Al-Shehbaz, sp. nov. TYPE: China. Jilin: Changbai Shan, Tianchi, rocky slopes, 2600 m, 1 Aug. 1957, Qian Jiaju 580 (holotype, PE). Herba perennis scaposa, glabra, rhizomata, 2-8 cm alta. Folia basalia rosulata, ovata, subcordata, vel oblonga, simplicia vel triloba, 2-10 x 1.5-8 mm; petiolis nonauriculatis, 0.3-3.5 cm longis. Folia caulina nulla vel unum. Pedicelli fructiferi 2-7 mm longi, erecti. Sepala oblonga, 1.3-1.7 x 0.6-0.8 mm. Petala alba, obovata, 3-3.5 x 1.5-1.8 mm. Fructus lineares, 1-2 cm X 1.3-2 mm; stylo 0.5-2 mm longo. Semina oblonga vel oblongo-ovata, 1.21.5 x 0.8-1.1 mm. Perennial herbs 2-8 cm tall, scapose, glabrous throughout. Rhizome slender, 0.4-0.7 mm diam. Stems erect, leafless, or rarely I-leaved. Basal leaves rosulate, fleshy; petiole 0.3-3.5 cm long; leaf blade simple or rarely 3-lobed, broadly ovate, subcordate, or oblong, 2-10 x 1.5-8 mm, cordate to obtuse, margins entire or repand, apex rounded to obtuse. Cauline leaves absent, rarely 1 and petiolate, similar but narrower than basal leaves, petiole base not auriculate. Racemes terminal, 2to 5(to 7)-flowered, ebracteate. Fruiting pedicels erect to subascending, 2-7 mm long, straight. Sepals oblong, 1.3-1.7 x 0.6-0.8 mm. Petals white, obovate, 3-3.5 x 1.5-1.8 mm, base tapering into claw 0.41 mm long, apex rounded to subemarginate. Filaments 1.4-2 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.6-0.8 mm long. Ovules 8 to 12 per ovary. Fruit linear, 1-2 cm X 1.3-2 mm; gynophore 0.3-1 mm long; valves smooth, glabrous; style 0.5-2 mm long. Seeds brown, oblong to oblong-ovate, 1.2-1.5 x 0.8-1.1 mm, neither winged nor margined. Phenology. Flowering and fruiting in July and August. Habitat. Rocky slopes on wet soil; elevation 2500-2600 m. Distribution. China (Jilin Province). On the basis of Nakai's (1914) original description of Cardamine resedifolia L. var. morii Nakai, it appears that the variety is the same as C. changbaiana, sharing similar plant size, fruit length, and long-petiolate leaves. For reasons discussed below, however, I prefer to describe the taxon as a new species instead of proposing a new combination without examining the two syntypes of that variety. Nakai (1914) indicated that the petals of variety morii are 5 mm long and the leaves are lyrate, but in the three specimens of C. changbaiana available for my study, the petals are 3-3.5 mm long and the leaves are simple. Cardamine changbaiana is clearly very different from the European C. resedifolia in a number of features. The former has petals 3-3.5 mm long, wingless seeds, oblong anthers 0.6-0.8 mm long, leafless or 1-leaved stems, nonauriculate petiolar bases, smooth fruit valves, 8 to 12 ovules per ovary, and undivided cauline leaves. By contrast, C. resedifolia has petals 5-6 mm long, broadly winged seeds (wing ca. 0.5 mm diam.), ovate anthers 0.2-0.4 mm long, leafy stems, strongly auriculate to amplexicaul petiolar bases, torulose valves, 20 to 30 ovules per ovary, and pinnatisect to deeply ternate cauline leaves (Akeroyd, 1993; Schultze-Motel, 1986). Furthermore, the type locality of C. changbaiana is separated by about 10,000 air miles from the nearest site of C. resedifolia in Rumania (Jalas & Suominen, 1994), and I prefer not to recognize the two as varieties of a single species. Cardamine changbaiana and C. resedifolia are well illustrated in Cheo (1987) and Schultze-Motel (1986), respectively. The nearest relative of Cardamine changbaiana is C. nipponica Franchet & Savatier (Japan, Taiwan). The former has leafless or rarely 1-leaved stems, simple or rarely 3-lobed basal leaves, nonauriculate petioles, obovate petals 3-3.5 mm, and NovoN 10: 323-328. 2000. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.78 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 07:15:02 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms