<i>Smilax weniae</i>, a New Species of Smilacaceae from Limestone Areas Bordering Guizhou and Guangxi, China
Jie-Ying Feng,
Xin-Jie Jin,
Sheng-Lu Zhang,
Jia-Wen Yang,
Shi-Peng Fei,
Yu-Song Huang,
Yan Liu,
Zhe-Chen Qi,
Pan Li
Affiliations
Jie-Ying Feng
Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metabolism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Xin-Jie Jin
College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Sheng-Lu Zhang
Laboratory of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany and Biodiversity, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jia-Wen Yang
Guizhou Botanical Garden, Guiyang 550000, China
Shi-Peng Fei
Guizhou Maolan National Natural Reserve, Libo 558400, China
Yu-Song Huang
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Functional Phytochemicals Research and Utilization, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China
Yan Liu
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Functional Phytochemicals Research and Utilization, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China
Zhe-Chen Qi
Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metabolism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Pan Li
Laboratory of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany and Biodiversity, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
A new species, Smilax weniae (Smilacaceae), from Southwest China, is described and illustrated. The new species bears peltate leaves, which was previously a unique feature of S. luei. However, it differs from the latter by having a broad ovate leaf blade, longer peduncle, and sexual dimorphic flowers. Further phylogenetic analyses revealed that the new species were placed in a unique position in a subclade of Old World Smilax based on ptDNA and nrITS sequences. Combining detailed morphological comparisons and molecular evidence, we validated that S. weniae is an undescribed new species. Moreover, the plastome characteristics of S. weniae are reported.
