Sinocrassula jiaozishanensis Chao Chen, J. G. Wang & Z. R. He 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wang, Jia-Guan
name: Chen, Chao
name: Wang, Yi
name: He, Zhao-Rong
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Saxifragales
Crassulaceae
Sinocrassula
Sinocrassula jiaozishanensis

description: Sinocrassula jiaozishanensis Chao Chen, J.G.Wang & Z.R. He sp. nov. (Fig.1, 2, 3)
Type:— CHINA. Yunnan Province, Jiaozi Mountain, 102.7828E, 26.1803N, 2373m, 5 October 2016, C. Chen et al. JZS1001 (holotype YUKU!, isotypes YUKU!).
Diagnosis:— This species is somewhat similar to S. ambigua (Praeger 1921:13) A. Berger (1930: 462), but differs in having turquoise leaves and the tip of the leaves red (Fig. 1 A, D, E) (vs. beige to purplish-red leaves and the tip no colour change in S. ambigua), length of sepals and perianth segments subequal (Fig. 1 H, I, J) (vs. sepals significantly longer than perianth in S. ambigua), inflorescence 10–20 cm (Fig. 1 A) (vs. 1.2–2.5 cm in S. ambigua), nectar scale oblong 0.3 × 0.6 mm (vs. 0.5 × 0.5 mm, subquadrate in S. ambigua).
Description (Fig. 1): Perennial, glabrous, succulent. Roots fibrous. Stems creeping, erect or somewhat pendulous, terete. Basal leaves opposite, not rosulate, stem leaves alternate, round obovate or oblanceolate to oblong, acute or cuspidate, turquoise with red apex, 2–3.5 × 1.3–2 cm. Flowering stems terminal, erect, apex bending or drooping ca. 10–20 cm tall; inflorescences corymbiform, ca. 20–45-flowered cyme to 10 cm in diam; bracts sessile, alternate or opposite, obovate or lanceolate, 0.15–1.5 × 0.2–0.7 cm. Flowers bisexual, ca. 6 mm in diam; sepals narrowly triangular, ca. 3.5 × 0.8 mm, minutely papillate; petals base white, central and above rose to purple, oblong-lanceolate, apex cuspidate, ca. 1.8 × 4.2 mm; stamens ca. 4mm; anthers purple, orbicular, pollen yellow. Nectar scales yellow, oblong or kidney-shaped, 0.55–0.65 × 0.25–0.3 mm. Carpels 5, distinct, ovate-lanceolate. ca. 4 mm. Styles erect, short, ca. 1.2 mm, apex red. Fl. Mar-May, fr. Apr-Jun.
Paratypes:— CHINA. Yunnan Province, Jiaozi Mountain, 102.7828E, 26.1803N, 2373m, 5 October 2016, C. Chen et al. JZS1002 (YUKU), C. Chen et al. JZS1003 (YUKU).
Distribution and Habitat: — Sinocrassula jiaozishanensis is only known from Jiduo village, Xueshan Township, Luquan County, in the crevice of cliffs with epilithic plants (e.g., Selaginella pulvinata (Hook. et Grev.) Maxim, Incarvillea arguta (Royle) Royle, Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst var. lanceolatus) (Fig. 2).
Phenology:— Flowering time March-May, fruiting time April-June.
Conservation status: In the type locality of Sinocrassula jiaozishanensis, only 10 plants were found, and we failed to find more populations or individuals besides type locality. Because of the restricted distribution and the peculiar habitat, we assessed S. jiaozishanensis as Critically Endangered (CR) according to criterion D (IUCN 2017).
Etymology: —The specific epithet “ jiaozishanensis” refers to Jiaozi mountain where the species was discovered. Jiaozi Mountain is a famous mountain in Kunming, Yunnan province.
description: Published as part of Wang, Jia-Guan, Chen, Chao, Wang, Yi & He, Zhao-Rong, 2022, Sinocrassula jiaozishanensis (Crassulaceae), a new species from Yunnan Province, China, pp. 10-20 in Phytotaxa 541 (1) on page 13, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.541.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/6375100