A new species of xenodermatid snake, Achalinus yunkaiensis J. Wang, Y. Li & Y.Y. Wang, sp. nov. was described based on a series of specimens collected from Dawuling Forestry Station located in the Yunkai Mountains of western Guangdong Province. It can be distinguished from known congeners by a significant genetic divergence at the mitochondrial CO1 gene fragment examined (p-distance ≥ 12.0%) and the following combination of characters: (1) dorsal scales strongly keeled, in 23 rows throughout the body, the most outer row on each side smooth and significantly enlarged; (2) tail relatively shorter, TaL/TL ratio 18.5–20.0%; (3) maxillary teeth 20–22; (4) length of suture between internasals subequal to that between the prefrontals; (5) nasal divided into two sections by nasal cleft, posterior one half as long as anterior; (6) loreal elongated, nearly twice as wide as high; (7) supralabials six; (8) infralabials six; (9) temporals 2+2+3 (rarely 2+2+4), the two anterior temporals in contact with eye; (10) ventrals 151–162, subcaudals 49–56 arranged in single row, not paired; (11) cloacal entire; (12) uniform brown (in adults) or black (in juveniles) above, tinged weakly iridescent, with a longitudinal dark-colored vertebral line; (13) light brown (in adults) or greyish white (in juveniles) beneath; and (14) dorsum with a longitudinal dark brown vertebral stripe from posterior margin of parietals to tail tip. Currently, 13 species are known in the genus Achalinus, with seven from mainland China.
A new Paphiopedilum entity found in southern Guangdong was studied taxonomically by means of internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA analysis in addition to morphological and phytogeographical considerations. This entity is similar to Paphiopedilum gratrixianum (Masters) Rolfe morphologically, from which it differs by having narrower leaves not wider than 2 cm and lacking purple spots toward abaxial base, pale green dorsal sepal veined with pale purplish brown and not heavily spotted with purple, and staminode subtruncate and mucronate at apex. An analysis of internal transcribed spacer sequences of this entity and its allies came to the same conclusion that the entity is a member of Paphiopedilum section Paphiopedilum and closely related to but distinct from P. gratrixianum. As a result, it is treated here as a new species, Paphiopedilum guangdongense Z.J. Liu & L.J. Chen.
Rhododendron datiandingense is newly reported and endemic to China. The genome of R. datiandingense is 207,311 bp in length, including a large single-copy region of 190,689 bp and a small single-copy region of 2582 bp, a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRA) of 7020 bp each. The genome encodes 110 genes, comprising 77 protein-coding genes, four ribosomal RNA genes, and 29 transfer RNA genes. Repeat analysis revealed 62 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in the genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that R. datiandingense is clearly separated from the other Rhododendron species and shown in the basal position.
Abstract— Populations of Balanophora from southern China are often identified by local botanists as B. laxiflora based on their long cylindric male inflorescence, subsessile male flowers with slender rudimentary bracts, and subdiscoid synandria. In this study, we clarify the identity of seven such populations based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis using nuclear 18S and ITS ribosomal DNA sequences. We confirmed the occurrence of dioecious populations of B. yakushimensis and two previously unrecognized species, which we describe here as B. parajaponica and B. appressa. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that B. parajaponica, B. yakushimensis, B. appressa, B. laxiflora, and the agamospermic B. japonica, formed a well resolved clade, viz. the B. laxiflora clade. The four dioecious species, although highly similar in the morphology of male inflorescence and flowers, can be separated by leaf morphology and arrangement, ovary color, and arrangement of female flowers. The species limit of B. laxiflora, however, remains unresolved.
Prunus yunkaishanensis, a new species of Prunus subg. Laurocerasus (Rosaceae), is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to P. phaeosticta and P. fordiana in their leaves with punctate abaxial surface, but it can be distinguished from the latter two species by having larger leaves with more pairs of lateral veins, shorter inflorescences with stout rachises, bracts persistent during anthesis, and ovoid fruits.
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