Synotisjinpingensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a new species with white ray florets from southeastern Yunnan, China.

Abstract

Synotisjinpingensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a new species from Jinping county in southeastern Yunnan province, China, is described and illustrated. This species is distinguished by having white ray florets in the genus Synotis, in which only species with yellow ray florets have been hitherto known. In habit and leaf shape S.jinpingensis is most closely similar to S.duclouxii, a species occurring in southwestern Guizhou, southern Sichuan and northeastern Yunnan, China, but differs, in addition to the color of ray florets, by having fewer lateral veins of leaves, obviously longer bracts of calyculus, and larger phyllaries. The membership of the new species within Synotis is strongly corroborated by evidence from floral micromorphology and phylogenetic analyses based on ITS sequence data. Color photographs of living plants, a distribution map, and provisional IUCN status of S.jinpingensis are provided.