Centaurea shahuensis and C. ravansarensis spp. nov. (Asteraceae,Cardueae) from west Iran

Two new species of Centaurea L. sect. Cynaroides Boiss. ex Walp. (Asteraceae), C. shahuensis Ranjbar and Negaresh and C. ravansarensis Ranjbar and Negaresh are described and illustrated from Kermanshah Province, west Iran. They are closely related to C. regia Boiss. subsp. regia. However, C. shahuensis differs from it by median stem leaves broadly oblanceolate or subpandurate, phyllaries densely lanate‐tomentose, appendages small, concealing a minor part of phyllaries, and also median appendage margin entire sometimes with 1–2 cilia, 1.2–3.0 mm long on each side. Centaurea ravansarensis is distinguished by upper stem leaves loosely arachnoid, phyllaries loosely floccose‐tomentose, inner appendages deep brown to blackish, and spine 4.5–6.0 mm long. Habitat, conservation status and the geographical distribution of the new species are given.     

Two new species of Lejeunea Lib. (Hepaticae: Lejeuneaceae) from Sikkim,India

Abstract

Two new species of Lejeunea Lib., L. kashyapii sp. nov. and L. mehrana sp. nov. are described from Sikkim, India. The former is characterized by sub-orbicular leaves; first tooth of leaf lobule, 1–3 cells long 1–2 cells wide at base; reniform underleaves slightly wider than long; monoicous sexuality; 2–3-paired male bracts; obcordate perianth with 4–5 smooth keels (2 lateral, auriculate; 2 ventral; 0–1 dorsal, indistinct). Whereas, the latter is characterized by oblong – ovate leaves; lobule 1/6–1/5 as long as lobe; distant – contiguous underleaves with 1–3 teeth on each lobe; dioicous (?) sexuality; 2–4-paired male bracts and 1–2 male bracteoles present near the base of androecia. A key to the Indian species of the genus are provided.     

SOME PRYMNESIACEAE (HAPTOPHYTA,PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE) FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA,WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES: CHRYSOCHROMULINA LANCEOLATA SP. NOV. AND C. PSEUDOLANCEOLATA SP. NOV.1

Five species belonging to the family Prymnesiaceae (one Prymnesium and four Chrysochromulina) have been identified in cultures obtained from water collected in the Bay of Banyuls‐sur‐Mer (Mediterranean Sea, France) using LM, SEM, and TEM. Two are described as new species, Chrysochromulina lanceolata sp. nov. and C. pseudolanceolata sp. nov. Both species are large and lanceolate with an acute posterior and two anterior arms. They are easily detectable with LM but difficult to distinguish to species level with live cells, without experience. EM reveals two completely different scale patterns in the two species. Cells of C. lanceolata are 21–38 μm long, 7–12 μm wide, and 3–7 μm thick. They possess two subequal flagella (30–51 and 29–44 μm), and the haptonema is shorter than the flagella (23–37 μm). The cell body is covered by plate and spine scales. Cells of C. pseudolanceolata sp. nov. are slightly smaller (15–18 × 6–8 μm) with more rounded extremities, two subequal flagella (19–26 and 17–24 μm), and the haptonema is longer than the flagella (about 35 μm). Three types of plate scales are observed in this species. Other findings are C. alifera Parke et Manton and C. throndsenii Eikrem (a new record for the Mediterranean Sea). Prymnesium faveolatum Fresnel, a new toxic species recently described, is illustrated with both LM and SEM.     

Onobrychis dushanbensis sp. nov. endemic to Tajikistan

Onobrychis dushanbensis Ranjbar, Vitek & Karamian, a new Fabaceae species endemic to Tajikistan, is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to Onobrychis Miller subgen. Sisyrosema (Bunge) Grossheim sect. Hymenobrychis DC. It is closely related to O. chorassanica Bunge and O. seravschanica B. Fedtsch., but is easily distinguished by its purple flowers with darker venation (vs yellowish with purple venation), with wings 9–10 mm long (vs wings 4–5 mm long) and bracts 14–15 mm long (vs bracts 4–5 mm long). The relationships between the new and closely related species are discussed.     

Capparis longgangensis sp. nov. (Capparaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

A new species of Capparaceae, Capparis longgangensis X. L. Mo & X. S. Lee ex Y. S. Huang is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. micracantha DC., but differs from it by the following characteristics: twigs, gynophore, outer surface of sepals and persistent style densely yellow–brown pannose, leaves densely yellow–brown pannose on both surfaces when young, abaxial surface thinly yellow–brown pannose when mature, petal thinly yellow–brown pannose, fruit 5–7 mm long, ca 6 mm in diameter, apical persistent style 3–4 mm long.     

Onosma maculata sp. nov. (Boraginaceae) from Iran

Onosma maculata Ranjbar & Almasi, a new Boraginaceae species endemic to Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to Onosma sect. Onosma subsect. Onosma. It is closely related to O. nervosa Riedl, but is easily distinguished by its spotted stem and peduncle (vs no spots), leaves 14–23 cm long (vs leaves 4–12 cm long), pedicel 5–15 mm long (vs pedicel 3–5 mm long), higher density of hairs, and glabrous nutlet (vs villous). Moreover, meiotic chromosome number and behavior were studied in two populations of the new species and it was found to be diploid with 2n = 2x = 16.     

Chirita tiandengensis (Gesneriaceae) sp. nov. from Guangxi,China

Chirita tiandengensis Fang Wen & Hui Tang, a new species of Chirita from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. napoensis Z. Y. Li, C. lunglinensis W. T. Wang and C. obtusidentata W. T. Wang, but differs by leaf blades ovate‐lanceolate, both surfaces sparsely strigulose; cymes 5‐ or 8‐flowered, bracts narrowly lanceolate, 6–8×1.5–2.0 mm; larger flowers (3.8–4.6 cm long), pink corolla, infundibuliform‐tubular tube; backside of anthers puberulous, filaments straight; staminodes glabrous, fused on the capitate top; stigma bipartite to the base with narrowly lanceolate lobes.     

Pterygiella luzhijiangensis sp. nov. (Orobanchaceae), a new procumbent species from Yunnan,southwest China

Pterygiella luzhijiangensis Huan C. Wang, is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to Yunnan, southwest China. It occurs in thickets of the Luzhijiang hot‐dry valley at elevations of 1000–1300 m a.s.l. This new species is closely related to P. duclouxii Franch., but clearly differs from the latter by its procumbent stems, much branched at the base, 7–20 cm long, the leaves 1.0–2.2 cm long, 0.1–0.2 (0.25) cm wide, the corolla 2.0–2.2 cm long, obviously longer than the calyx, with the lower lip of the corolla much longer than the upper one.     

Cordiera longicaudata sp. nov. and Duroia valesca sp. nov. of the Alibertia group (Gardenieae–Rubiaceae)

Two neotropical species of the Alibertia group (Gardenieae–Rubiaceae) are described and illustrated. Cordiera longicaudata C. Persson & Delprete sp. nov. occurs in Panama and northwestern Ecuador (Awá Reserve) and is characterized by its long drip tips and glabrous to minutely puberulent corollas. Duroia valesca C. Persson & Delprete sp. nov. is from the Atlantic forest of Brazil (states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais) and is distinguished by its heteromorphic calyx lobes that are large, 13–15×7–8 mm, elliptic and contorted in female flowers, whereas the calyx lobes of the male flowers are 3–5×1–2 mm and narrowly triangular.     

Hemiboea purpurea sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in Guangxi,China

Hemiboea purpurea Yan Liu & W. B. Xu, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to H. follicularis C. B. Clarke, but differs by smaller leaf blades, 3–10×2–5 cm, corolla purple, ca 2.0–2.5 cm long, exserted from the involucre, filaments glandular‐puberulent and staminodes 3. It is only known from one site in the Rongshui County.     

Aspidistra albiflora sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from southwestern Guangxi,China

Aspidistra albiflora C. R. Lin, W. B. Xu & Yan Liu (Asparagaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China. The new species is similar to A. cerina G. Z. Li & S. C. Tang, but differs in having the perianth white by the sides, white pistils, bracts longer than the perianth, anthers only 2 mm long, pistil obconical and stigma slightly enlarged, 4–5 mm in diameter. The new species is currently only known from the type locality in southwestern Guangxi, near the border to northern Vietnam.     

Spiradiclis glabra sp. nov. (Rubiaceae) from limestone areas in Guangdong,China

A new species of Rubiaceae, Spiradiclis glabra, is described and illustrated from China. The species is most similar to S. fusca, but differs by having 5–7 pairs of adaxially unconspicuous secondary veins in the leaves, stipules 2–5 mm long, calyx lobes ovate‐triangular, corollas slightly purple–reddish, tubes 13–15 mm long, inside with a pubescent ring of long hairs at the throat, and stamens near the base in long‐styled form. The conservation status of this new species was assessed as ‘Vulnerable’ (VU) according to IUCN.     

Chirita leprosa sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Chirita leprosa Yan Liu & W. B. Xu, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. wangiana Z. Y. Li, but differs by the leaf blade being elliptic to broadly elliptic, bracts broadly ovate, corolla pale yellow, filaments ca 9 mm long, geniculate near the middle, staminodes 3, and by a different flowering period (Oct–Nov).     

Lindernia kinmenensis sp. nov. (Scrophulariaceae) from Kinmen (Taiwan)

Lindernia kinmenensis Y. S. Liang, C. H. Chen, & C. L. Tasi sp. nov. from Kinmen (Taiwan) is described. The new species belongs to section Torenioides and is most similar to L. crustacea. It differs from the latter by the following characters: calyx pubescent between the ridges (vs pubescent on ridges), with (2)3(4) bristles on the ridge near the apex of the calyx‐lobes (vs without such bristles), corolla shorter, 6–8 mm long (vs 7–11 mm long) and pale purple (vs purple or blue), posterior theca with obtuse (vs acute) apex. This species is usually found in sandy wetlands. A line drawing, colour photos and SEM micrographs of pollen and seed as aids for identification are provided.     

MORPHOLOGY AND MOLECULAR ANALYSES OF THREE TOXIC SPECIES OF GAMBIERDISCUS (DINOPHYCEAE): G. PACIFICUS, SP. NOV., G. AUSTRALES, SP. NOV., AND G. POLYNESIENSIS, SP. NOV.

Three new dinoflagellate species, Gambierdiscus polynesiensis, sp. nov., Gambierdiscus australes, sp. nov., and Gambierdiscus pacificus, sp. nov., are described from scanning electron micrographs. The morphology of the three new Gambierdiscus species is compared with the type species Gambierdiscus toxicus Adachi et Fukuyo 1979, and two other species: Gambierdiscus belizeanus Faust 1995 and Gambierdiscus yasumotoi Holmes 1998. The plate formula is: Po, 3′, 7", 6C, 8S, 5‴, 1p, 2". Culture extracts of these three new species displayed both ciguatoxin- and maitotoxin-like toxicities. The following morphological characteristics differentiated each species. 1) Cells of G. polynesiensis are 68–85 μm long and 64–75 μm wide, and the cell’s surface is smooth. They are identified by a large triangular apical pore plate (Po), a narrow fish-hook opening surrounded by 38 round pores, and a large, broad posterior intercalary plate (1p) wedged between narrow postcingular plates 2‴ and 4‴. Plate 1p occupies 60% of the width of the hypotheca. 2) Cells of G. australes also have a smooth surface and are 76–93 μm long and 65–85 μm wide in dorsoventral depth. They are identified by the broad ellipsoid apical pore plate (Po) surrounded by 31 round pores and a long and narrow 1p plate wedged between postcingular plates 2‴ and 4‴. Plate 1p occupies 30% of the width of the hypotheca. 3) Cells of G. pacificus are 67–77 μm long and 60–76 μm wide in dorsoventral depth, and its surface is smooth. They are identified by the four-sided apical pore plate (Po) surrounded by 30 round pores. A short narrow 1p plate is wedged between the wide postcingular plates 2‴ and 4‴. Plate 1p occupies 20% of the width of the hypotheca. These three newly described species were also characterized by isozyme electrophoresis and DNA sequencing of the D8–D10 region of their large subunit (LSU) rRNA genes. The consistency between species designations based on SEM microscopy and classification inferred from biochemical and genetic heterogeneities was examined among seven isolates of Gambierdiscus. Their classification into four morphospecies was not consistent with groupings inferred from isozyme patterns. Three molecular types could be distinguished based on the comparison of their LSU rDNA sequences. Although G. toxicus TUR was found to be more closely related to G. pacificus, sp. nov. than to other G. toxicus strains, the molecular classification was able to discriminate G. polynesiensis, sp. nov. and G. australes, sp. nov. from G. toxicus. These results suggest the usefulness of the D8–D10 portion of the Gambierdiscus LSU rDNA as a valuable taxonomic marker.     

Machilus parapauhoi sp. nov. and a new synonym of Machilus (Lauraceae) from east Asia

A new species of the genus Machilus Nees (Lauraceae) from China, M. parapauhoi F. N. Wei, S. C. Tang & W. B. Xu is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to M. pauhoi Kanehira, but differs in its densely appressed pubescent branchlets and petioles, shorter petiole, 0.8–1.2 cm long and an infructescence conspicuously shorter than the leaf. It is also similar to M. kwangtungensis Yang, but differs by its oblique leaves, with falcately curved apex and 14–18 lateral veins on both sides of the midrib. Based on a study of the type and isotype specimens of M. balansae (Airy Shaw) F. N. Wei & S. C. Tang and M. grandifolia S. Lee & F. N. Wei, M. grandifolia is regarded as a new synonym of M. balansae.     

Crinum reddyi sp. nov. (Amaryllidaceae) from Gujarat,India

We here describe a new species of Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) from marshy areas along the Gira river, southern Gujarat, India. It superficially resembles C. solapurense but differs in having spherical or round, cremish white, tunicate bulbs, 10–17 distichous to sub distichous, canaliculated leaves, shorter, yellowish green peduncles (35–60 cm long), fewer flowers (up to 16), 6–12 capsules per infructscence, 4–7, chlorophyllous, rugose seeds per capsule and mainly vegetative propagation.     

Carex sinosupina sp. nov. (sect. Lamprochlaenae,Cyperaceae) from Gansu,north central China

Carex sinosupina, a new species from Gansu, China is described and illustrated. This species is similar to C. aridula and C. ivanoviae, but differs by having broader leaves, 2.0–3.5 mm wide, perigynia 3–5‐veined abaxially and achenes concave at the middle of one lateral surface. Based on a field survey and SEM (scanning electron microscope) observation of the micromorphology of perigynia and achenes, the morphology and micromorphology of the new species, C. aridula and C. ivanoviae is compared.     

Primulina suichuanensis sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Danxia landform in Jiangxi,China

Primulina suichuanensis X. L. Yu & J. J. Zhou, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Jiangxi, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to P. roseoalba, but differs by entire leaf blade margin, narrowly ovate bracts, reddish–purple or bluish–purple corolla, 3.0–3.4 cm long corolla tube, white filaments, and 3.6 cm long pistil. It flowers from September to November.     

Aspidistra lingyunensis sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Aspidistra lingyunensis C. R. Lin & L. F. Guo (Asparagaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from limestone areas in northwestern Guangxi, China. It resembles A. obconica C. R. Lin & Yan Liu in leaf size and its obconical and purplish red pistil, but differs by having a yellowish white perianth, with lobes oblong, explanate, 6–7 mm long, subequal to tube and a white stigma surface, ca 3 mm in diameter. The new species is rare, currently known only from northwestern Guangxi.