Elsholtzia zhongyangii (Lamiaceae), a new species from Sichuan, China

Abstract

Elsholtzia zhongyangii (Lamiaceae), a new species from Sichuan Province, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to E. feddei f. feddei, but it can be easily distinguished from E. feddei f. feddei by smaller corolla (3.2–3.5 mm vs. 4.5–5.3 mm), bract indumentum (glabrous, except margin ciliate vs. villous, especially on veins abaxially, glabrous adaxially) and bract stalked (ca. 1.2 mm vs. sessile). Phylogenetic analyses, based on two nuclear ribosomal (ETS, ITS) and five plastid (rbcL, matK, trnL-F, ycf1, ycf1-rps15) regions, confirmed that the new species formed a monophyletic clade with robust support. The new species is currently known from western Sichuan.