Ligularia lushuiensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a new species from northwestern Yunnan, China

Abstract

Ligularia lushuiensis, a new species from northwestern Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It was tentatively placed in L. sect. Ligularia ser. Ligularia on the basis of the pinnate-palmate leaf venation, racemose synflorescence and pappus which is as long as tubular corolla. Within the series, it appeared somewhat close to both L. lamarum and L. pseudolamarum. However, L. lushuiensis can be easily distinguished from the latter two species by, among other characters, the leaf margin, bract size, involucre shape and size, and number and width of ray florets. Morphologically, L. lushuiensis is also superficially similar to L. secunda but differs readily by having distally shortly yellowish and brownish puberulent stems, palmately-pinnately veined leaves regularly dentate at margin, scarious, brown and larger bracts, and larger ray laminae. In addition, a distribution map and a diagnostic key to Chinese species of L. ser. Ligularia are also provided.