Ruppia mongolica (Ruppiaceae), a new species from Inner Mongolia (China), based on morphological and genetic data.

Abstract

Ruppia mongolica Y. Zou & X.W. Xu, a new species from Inner Mongolia, China, is described and illustrated. The phylogenetic position of the new species within the genus was analyzed based on eight chloroplast DNA fragments and an ingroup sampling of all Eurasian species of Ruppia. The results showed that R. mongolica formed a separate branch between R. sinensis and the clade of R. maritima, R. brevipedunculata, R. drepanensis, and R. cirrhosa. Based on molecular and geographical evidence, our study reveals that R. mongolica is closely related to R. sinensis and R. brevipedunculata but differs from the former in the length and shape of the peduncle and seed size, and from the latter in the length of the peduncle, number of carpels per flower, and seed size. In addition, the karyotype analysis revealed that R. mongolica is octoploid, which is first reported within Ruppia, further supporting R. mongolica as a new species.