Sinosophiopsis (Brassicaceae), a New Genus Endemic to China

Abstract

The new genus Sinosophiopsis (Bras- sicaceae) is described, and its relationship to So- phiopsis is discussed. The new species Sinosophiop- sis bartholomewii is described, and the new combination S. heishuiensis is proposed. During the revision of Chinese Brassicaceae for the forthcoming volume 8 of the Flora of China, two species were initially set aside for future study. As the result of critical comparisons of these two taxa with most of those of the known Eurasian gen- era, the conclusion reached is it to place them in a new genus, hereafter known as Sinosophiopsis. Sinosophiopsis, which is endemic to China, is most closely related to the central Asian genus So- phiopsis. Both genera consist of annuals with in- cumbent cotyledons, reticulate and mucilaginous seeds, pinnatisect leaves, terete fruits, and branched trichomes. Sinosophiopsis is easily distin- guished by having white flowers, linear and strongly torulose fruits, angled and longitudinally striate stems, indumentum consisting of simple and forked trichomes, and ovaries (20 to)24- to 40-ovulate. By contrast, Sophiopsis has yellow flowers, elliptic, ob- ovate, or narrowly oblong, usually non-torulose fruits, terete stems, indumentum of primarily den- dritic trichomes only rarely mixed with simple ones,