No.3Xiaoqian Li, Zhiyou Guo, Yang Li, Peng Zhou, Xuhui Chen, Zhenyu Li and Xiaoguo Xiang

Hemiboea guangdongensis comb. & stat. nov., a cryptic speciessegregated from H. subcapitata(Gesneriaceae) based onmorphological and molecular data

Nordic Journal of Botany2019: e02574doi: 10.1111/njb.02574

ABSTRACT

The taxonomic problem of cryptic species has long been recognized. Hemiboea subcapitata C. B. Clarke is a widespread and morphologically diverse species including two varieties, H. subcapitata var. subcapitata C. B. Clarke and H. subcapitata var. guangdongensis (Z. Y. Li) Z. Y. Li. However, genetic distance and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS and four plastid DNA sequences (atpB-rbcL, matK, rbcL, rpS16 intron) revealed that H. subcapitata var. guangdongensis is sister to H. subacaulis, and separated from H. subcapitata var. subcapitata, suggesting that it should be raised to the rank of an independent species as H. guangdongensis (Z. Y. Li) X. Q. Li & X. G. Xiang, comb. & stat. nov. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from H. subacaulis by its calyx 5-sect from base, segments narrowly oblong-lanceolate (versus calyx 5-sect from base or 2-lipped and adaxial lip 2-lobed from below middle, segments ovate), peduncle glabrous (versus pubescent), and vermiform sclereids dispersed in leaf mesophyll (versus without sclereids).

Original article link：https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/njb.02574

Figure 1. Maximum likelihood tree inferred from ITS data. BI/ML/MP support values higher than 50% are indicated above branches.Hemiboea guangdongensis is highlighted in bold by red color and labeled by a red arrow.

Figure 2. Maximum likelihood tree inferred from plastid matrix. BI/ML/MP support values higher than 50% are indicated above branches.Hemiboea guangdongensis is highlighted in bold by red color and labeled by a red arrow.

Figure 3 The specimens of Hemiboea guangdongensis (PE)

Figure 4. The congener of Hemiboea guangdongensis, H. subacaulis Hand.-Mazz.