Artemisia qingheensis (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), a new species from Xinjiang, China

Abstract

Artemisia qingheensis (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), a new species from Qinghe County, Xinjiang, China, is described and illustrated. We investigated its phylogenetic position and relationships with 35 other species of Artemisia using whole chloroplast DNA sequence data. The molecular phylogenetic results and morphological evidence (multi-layered involucral bracts and homogamous capitula with bisexual flowers) showed that the new species belongs to Artemisia subgenus Seriphidium. A diagnostic table and discussion of morphological characters are provided to distinguish the new species from A. amoena, A. gracilescens, A. lessingiana and A. terrae-albae.