Calyx Lobes Research Articles

M. ‘Teresita Lantin-Rosario’ and M. ‘Dolores A. Ramirez’ – New Varieties of Mussaenda [RESEARCH NOTE

An outstanding selections of Mussaenda developed in the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) were registered to the National Seed Industry Council as new varieties. These are Mussaenda ‘Teresita Lantin-Rosario’ and Mussaenda ‘Dolores A. Ramirez’, named after an ornamental plant breeder and a National Scientist, respectively, in recognition to their significant contributions in the fields of genetics and plant breeding. Mussaenda ‘Teresita Lantin-Rosario’ is a hybrid and a progeny from a cross between M. ‘Maria Makiling’ and M. ‘Diwata’. The calyx lobes are all petaloid, numerous, and hairy. Petaloids are creamy white (157C) with visible midrib and pale yellow-green veins underneath, are ovate to suborbicular in shape, and are 5.0 - 9.3 x 3.7 - 7.5 cm in size. M. ‘Dolores A. Ramirez’ is also a hybrid from the cross M. ‘Maria Makiling x M. ‘Doña Trining’. The calyx lobes are all petaloid, two to three of which are more enlarged while the rest are partially expanded in a cluster, are elliptic-lanceolate to ovate-orbicular in shape, 4.5 - 9.0 x 0.3 - 6.2 cm in size, and are empire rose (48A) with prominent pinkish white veins above and orient pink (36D) below with a tinge of yellow-green (145A) towards the apex.

Callicarpa stoloniformis (Lamiaceae), a new species from Southeast China based on morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence.

Callicarpa stoloniformis sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) is described as a new species from Fujian Province of China on the basis of both morphological and molecular data. The new species is morphologically most close to C. hainanensis. However, it can be distinguished from the latter by its unique procumbent life form, adventitious roots at nodes, papery leaves, cup-shaped or campanulate calyx, truncate or shallow fissure calyx lobes, and smaller fruits. In addition, the new species is also similar with C.basitruncata, a species only known from the original description and the photograph of holotype, but it can differ from the latter by its procumbent shrub, purple terete branchlets with apparent linear lenticels, adventitious roots at nodes, and papery larger leaves with prominently cordate leaf base. Original photographs, illustration, distribution map, and a comparative morphological table, as well as an identification key of the related taxa are provided.

Aeschynanthussmaragdinus F.Wen & J.Q.Qin (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Yunnan Province, China.

Aeschynanthussmaragdinus F.Wen & J.Q.Qin, a new species of Gesneriaceae from the monsoon rain forest in Mangbang township, Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated here. It morphologically resembles A.chiritoides C.B.Clarke in size, shape and hairs on the leaf blades. But it can easily be distinguished from the latter by the green corolla limb with brownish-red to maroon lower lobes. At the same time, the hairs of the pedicel and calyx lobes, the length of the staminode and the size of the seed grain can also help distinguish both. It is provisionally assessed as Data Deficient (DD), according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, because field surveys for this new taxon have not been completed.

Veronicahongii (Plantaginaceae), a new species from Central China.

A new species Veronicahongii, from western Hubei Province, Central China is described and illustrated. The species is morphologically similar to V.henryi Yamazaki, but mainly differs in the glabrous plant, except pedicels, broadly ovate leaf blades, glandular-pubescent pedicels, obovate calyx lobes, smaller corolla, broadly ovate capsule and much smaller seeds.

Linaria pseudamethystea (Antirrhineae, Plantaginaceae), a new species mimetic of and apparently sympatric with L. amethystea

Linaria pseudamethystea, from the south-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, is here newly described, illustrated, and compared with its morphologically closest relatives from L. sect. Supinae: L. amethystea, L. semialata, and L. diffusa. The species is characterized by being annual and glabrous and by having a loose inflorescence; calyx lobes unequal; corolla blue-violet, with conspicuous dark veins and yellow to orangish palate, abaxial lip with two prominent humps and ornamentation reticulate and often with two thick spots, and spur equalling the length of the rest of the corolla, curved, usually dark blue-violet; capsule globose and glabrous; seeds black with densely papillose and non-tuberculate disk, and non- thickened wing. L. pseudamethystea is an endemic species, whose general morphology and distribution area overlap with that of L. amethystea, causing confusion between the two species and misidentification of their populations. The new species grows in ephemeral therophyte pastures of siliceous mountains, from the east of the province of Seville (Spain) to the Algarve and Alentejo (Portugal).

A new Miconia (Melastomataceae) from Cusuco National Park, Honduras

Miconia kellyana is described as a new species that is known only from a limited area of montane tropical forest in Cusuco National Park in northwestern Honduras. Line drawings, field photographs, a distribution map, a recommended conservation assessment, and a discussion of morphologically similar species are provided. This species can be recognized by its 5-plinerved leaves with secondary veins diverging from the midvein above the blade base, cauline internode indumentum consisting of simple spreading trichomes, stalked-stellate trichomes, and apically bifid trichomes 0.5–1 mm long, conspicuous external calyx teeth that exceed the calyx lobes in length and largely conceal them, hypanthia with yellowish mostly simple trichomes sparingly intermixed with apically bifid and stalked-stellate trichomes 1–1.5 mm long that completely conceal the surface at anthesis, and isometric and isomorphic stamens with a connective that is prolonged ventro-basally above the filament insertion into a bilobulate ventral appendage less than 0.25 mm long. The new species is compared with M. chinantlana, M. globulifera, and M. tixixensis. All of these related species occur only in adjacent areas of neighboring Guatemala and/or a few southern states of Mexico.

A new species of Sterculia (Malvaceae) from Vietnam.

A new species of Sterculia from Vietnam - S.konchurangensis - is described, illustrated, and compared with the similar S.lanceolata. S.konchurangensis differs from S.lanceolata by the length of the petiole (7.0-9.5 vs. 25-35 mm), shape of the leaf blade (obovate or elliptic vs. elliptic, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate), length of the leaf blade (6-8 vs. 9-20 cm), and length of the calyx lobe (11-12.5 vs. 4-6 mm). A diagnostic key of the 22 Sterculia species occurring in Vietnam is also provided.

Kalanchoe dineshii (Crassulaceae), a new species from southern Western Ghats, India

A new species of Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae), K. dineshii Syam Radh & Nampy, is described and illustrated. The new species occurs in the Mathikettan Shola National Park in southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India, and it is only known from the Idukki district. It is morphologically most similar to K. bhidei, but distinguished from the latter by its small stature (30-40 cm high), obovate to obtrullate sessile leaves adnate to stem in the basal ¼th, and widely ovate calyx lobes. Information is also given on the distribution, habitat, phenology, and conservation status of the new taxon.

Lysimachiacoriacea (Primulaceae, Myrsinoideae), a new species from Chongqing, China.

A new species, Lysimachiacoriacea, from Chongqing, China, is described and illustrated. It is assigned to subgen. Lysimachiasect.Nummulariaser.Paridiformes and resembles L.paridiformisvar.stenophylla, but is characterised by smaller leathery leaves with black glandular striations near the margin. It is also similar to L.nanpingensis in its two to three pairs of leaves sub-whorled at the stem apices, but differs by smaller leathery leaves and densely glandular stem, petiole and pedicel, and calyx lobes with sparse black glandular stripes.

Leptomischus multiflorus (Argostemmateae: Rubiaceae), a new species from southern Vietnam

Leptomischus multiflorus, a new species of the tribe Argostemmateae (Rubiaceae), is described and illustrated. The species was discovered in 2022 in Quang Nam Province, southern Vietnam. The new species is characterized by rich indumentum on almost all plant parts, distylous flowers, and minutely puberulent ovary disk. Leptomischus multiflorus differs from all its congeners by the following features: leaf blades up to 23 cm long with up to 25 pairs of secondary veins, many-flowered inflorescences, and corolla tube 7–8 mm long and hairy outside. It additionally differs from the morphologically closest species, L. anisophyllus, in weakly anisophyllous to nearly isophyllous leaves, calyx lobes 2–2.5 mm long (about 1/3 length of corolla tube), corolla lobes with horn-like appendages, anthers 1–1.3 mm long, style hairy in distal half, pin flowers with filaments adnate at the middle of the corolla tube and with stigma lobes 1 mm long, and thrum flowers with style 2.5–3 mm long.

A new species of Lobelia (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae) from the Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico

Lobelia alanae sp. nov. from Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico, is described from four known populations in tropical deciduous forests from 153 to 700 m elevation. This new species is compared to the closely related Lobelia porphyrea, a species known only from the type collection in the state of Hidalgo. Lobelia alanae can be separated from L. porphyrea by its height, hypanthium, calyx lobes and fruit. Based on the strongly reticulate-foveolate seed coats, L. alanae is hypothesized to be a new member of section Lobelia, previously comprising 22 species nearly endemic to the eastern U.S.

 Hydrangeamarunoi (Hydrangeaceae), a new species from Osumi Peninsula, southern Japan.

Hydrangeamarunoi Tagane & S. Fujii, from the Kimotsuki Mountains in the Ohsumi Peninsula, southern Japan, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to H.alternifolia in having three-petaloid calyx lobes in marginal flowers, but is distinguished by the larger stamen number, and longer styles and seeds. Multiplex ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) demonstrated that the new species is monophyletic and closely related to H.amamiohsimensis and H.moellendorffii rather than H.alternifolia.

Monopyleglutinosa (Gesneriaceae), a new species from the western slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes.

Exploratory field expeditions to the western slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes resulted in the discovery of a new species of Monopyle (Gesneriaceae). Monopyleglutinosa J.L.Clark & Keene, sp. nov. is described as a narrow endemic from lowland forests along the border of the Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas in the Province of Cotopaxi. The new species is unique for the presence of glutinous or sticky trichomes on the calyx lobes and outer surface of the inferior ovary. Based on IUCN guidelines, a preliminary conservation status is assigned as Critically Endangered (CR).

A Taxonomic Revision of the Lathberry Clade ofEugenia(Myrtaceae)

Abstract—The Lathberry Clade includes seven species ofEugeniasect.Umbellatae(Myrtaceae) distributed from Puerto Rico through the Lesser Antilles. Members of the Lathberry Clade are trees and shrubs distinguished from other Antillean species by a combination of dull twigs, glabrous leaves with a raised midvein, glomerate or fasciculate inflorescences predominantly borne below the leaves on old wood, closely spaced and ascending inflorescence bracts, spheroidal fruits turning red or purple at maturity with the calyx lobes erect or spreading and often torn away, and a unique, large deletion in the plastidpsbA-trnHintergenic spacer region. We examined the morphology, leaf venation, and seed coat anatomy of the Lathberry Clade and constructed a phylogeny using non-coding nuclear genetic regions. The taxonomic treatment includes a key to the species, distribution maps, and extinction risk assessments. We recognizeEugenia sintenisiifrom Puerto Rico andE. cordatavar.caribaea(nom. nov.) from the Lesser Antilles in place ofE. cordatavar.sintenisiiand synonymizeE. earhartiiwithE. stirpiflora. Six lectotypes are designated.

Harveya kiangombensis (Orobanchaceae), a new parasitic species from Kenya, East Africa

A new holoparasitic species of Orobanchaceae, Harveya kiangombensis, is here described and illustrated. This species is easily distinguished from the closely related H. liebuschiana by its glandular pubescent pedicels, the position of its flowers that occur singly in the leaf axils, and its acute calyx lobes. An assessment of the conservation status of the new species is provided.

Lukea gen. nov. (Monodoreae-Annonaceae) with two new threatened species of shrub from the forests of the Udzungwas, Tanzania and Kaya Ribe, Kenya

SummaryA new genus, Lukea Cheek & Gosline (Annonaceae), is erected for two new species to science, Lukea quentinii Cheek & Gosline from Kaya Ribe, SE Kenya, and Lukea triciae Cheek & Gosline from the Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania. Lukea is characterised by a flattened circular bowl-shaped receptacle-calyx with a corolla of three free petals that give the buds and flowers a unique appearance in African Annonaceae. Both species are extremely rare shrubs of small surviving areas of lowland evergreen forest under threat of habitat degradation and destruction and are provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered and Endangered respectively using the IUCN 2012 standard. Both species are illustrated and mapped. Material of the two species had formerly been considered to be possibly Uvariopsis Engl. & Diels, and the genus Lukea is placed in the Uvariopsis clade of the Monodoreae (consisting of the African genera Uvariodendron (Engl. & Diels) R.E.Fries, Uvariopsis, Mischogyne Exell, Dennettia Baker f., and Monocyclanthus Keay). The clade is characterised by often conspicuous, finely reticulate quaternary nervation, incomplete or absent connective shields (in Annonaceae the connective shield is usually complete) and free petals (except in some Uvariopsis). Morphologically Lukea is distinct for its broad, turbinate, fleshy pedicel, a potential synapomorphy within Monodoreae. It appears closest morphologically to the West African monotypic Monocyclanthus, since it shares a trait unusual in the Annonaceae: the calyx in both genera forms a shallow bowl (calyx lobes are absent or vestigial), barely enclosing the base of the petals at anthesis, which persists, living and green, in the mature fruit. However, on recent molecular phylogenetic evidence, Lukea is sister to Mischogyne and the two split c. 20 million years BP, while Monocyclanthus is sister to Dennettia. The placement of Lukea within the Uvariopsis clade is discussed.

Sporoxeia vietnamensis (Melastomataceae), a new species from northern Vietnam

A new species of Sporoxeia (Melastomataceae), S. vietnamensis, is described from northern Vietnam. It is morphologically similar to S. blastifolia in having obtusely quadrangular stems, slightly unequal leaf blades with cuneate bases, and two secondary veins on each side of midvein, but differs by having stiffly papery leaf blades, larger and densely horned hypanthia, larger calyx lobes with concave adaxial surface and convex abaxial surface forming a ridge, and larger petals. Photos and illustration are provided together with information of habitat, ecology and preliminary conservation assessment following IUCN criteria. An identification key to the Sporoxeia species is also provided.

Comparative reproductive ecology of two sister Asarum species (Aristolochiaceae) in relation to the evolution of elongated floral appendage.

Genus Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) shows diverse floral morphology and is hypothesized to have diversified as a result of pollinator-mediated selection. Yet most aspects of their reproductive ecology, including pollinators, remain unclear. This study focuses on A. costatum and A. minamitanianum in Japan, a sister species pair having remarkable differences in calyx lobe length (10-20 mm and 70-180 mm, respectively). The objectives of this study are to elucidate multiple aspects of reproductive ecology of these two species and obtain evolutionary insights into floral organ elongation. We adopted combined approaches, including field observations, molecular analyses and cultivation experiments, such as pollinator observation for 3 years, fine-scale spatial genetic analysis of 769 individuals, paternity analysis based on 566 seeds over 4 years, and control pollination experiments. Both Asarum species had strong spatial genetic structures, indicating limited seed dispersal. Pollinator observation revealed that flies and ground-dwelling insects visited flowers of both species, but that the pollinator fauna differed between the species. The visitation rate of flies was extremely low but was more than twice as high in the species with an elongated floral appendage. Paternity analysis revealed A. minamitanianum was predominantly outcrossing, while A. costatum showed a wide range of selfing rates among fruits. These two Asarum species are likely adapted to fly pollination in the shady forest understorey, where available pollinator fauna is limited. In addition, although its function remains unclear, the elongated calyx lobe of A. minamitanianum could have evolved for effective pollen dispersal by attracting fly visitors.

Androsace artvinensis sp. nov. (Primulaceae): A new species from northeastern Anatolia, Turkey

Androsace artvinensis (Primulaceae) from Artvin province (northeastern Anatolia) has been described as a new species to science. The new species is morphologically similar to A. armeniaca var. macrantha but differs from it by several morphological characters, such as bracts shape, calyx (calyx length and lobes), corolla (corolla length, lobes, and indumentum), hairs, leaves, pollen features, and habitat preference. Diagnostic morphological characteristics, a full description, and a distribution map are provided.

Bredia bullata (Melastomataceae), a new species from limestone areas in Yunnan, China

A new species, Bredia bullata, from China, is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular evidence. This new species is morphologically similar to B. malipoensis in having tomentose stems and leaves, cordate leaf blades in unequal pairs, an umbellate inflorescence, and undulate petals with an unguiculate base and retuse apex, but differs by having bullate leaf blades, white hypanthia and elliptic calyx lobes. Our phylogenetic analysis using the plastid genome strongly supports the generic placement of B. bullata and B. malipoensis within Bredia.