Viola miaolingensis Y. S. Chen 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Chen, You-Sheng
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Malpighiales
Violaceae
Viola
Viola miaolingensis

description: Viola miaolingensis Y. S. Chen, sp. nov. (Figure 1–3)   
 TYPE:— CHINA. Guangxi, Xingan county, Huajiang, 650 m, in ravine under sparse bamboo forest, 19 Mar. 2005, Y. S. Chen 5028 (holotype PE; isotype PE).   
 Herbs perennial, acaulescent, 5–15 cm tall, usually glabrous. Rhizome short, white. Leaves caespitose, ascending, sometimes erect, blade narrowly ovate-lanceolate or deltoid-oblong, but ovate in the lower leaves, 2–7× 1.4–4.5 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base cordate, margin depressed crenate, adaxially short puberlous or glabrous, deep green, usually white-variegated along veins, abaxially glabrous, reddish-purple. Petioles 2–18 cm long, glabrous, wingless. Stipules lanceolate or subulate-linear, ca. 1/3 adnate to the petiole at base, the free part ca. 5 mm, remotely glandulous-ciliate, membranous. Pedicels 3–5 cm long. Flowers white-violet or white-mauve, with purple or violet veins, ca. 1 cm across, all petals light yellow basally. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, 4–5 mm long, glabrous, speckled brownish, basal auricles ca. 1 mm long, apex rounded or dentate. Petals obovate-oblong, apex slightly emarginate, ca. 8 mm long; lateral ones bearded; spur saccate, straight, 2–3 mm long, ca. 2.5 mm in diameter. Ovary ovoid, glabrous; style geniculate at the base; stigma deltoid, beak very short; anthers orange, 5. Capsule glabrous, 6–7 mm long. Seed smooth, numerous. This species also produces cleistogamous flowers/fruits. Chromosome number: 2 n =48 (Figure 4).   
 Distribution and habitat:— Viola miaolingensis is presently known from N Guizhou, Guangxi and SW Hunan provinces in southern China (Figure 3), growing on grassy slopes, thickets or sparse forests at altitudes of 100–1900 m.   
 Phenology:—Flowering from March to April, fruiting from April to June.   
 Etymology: —The epithet “Miao” is derived from the distribution area of the new species, where Miao people live in this mountainous area; the epithet “Ling” means mountains. Chinese name: ffiĸfflṽ.   
 Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Guangxi: Longsheng County, Jiangdi Xiang, 350 m, 24 April 2018, Y. S. Chen et al. 180880 (PE); Tianlin County, Langping Xiang, Cenwanglaoshan, 1750 m, 22 March 2006, Y. S. Chen 6030 (PE); Xing’an County, Huajiang Xiang, Gaozhai, 600 m, 19 March 2005, Y. S. Chen 5028 (PE). Guizhou: Anlong County, Longshan, Shihuaping, 1910 m, 14 June 1960, Z. S. Zhang & Y. T. Zhang 4431 (PE); Dejiang County, Qinglong, Guankou, 920 m, 30 April 2003, Ming-Tai An 3152 (PE); Guiding County, Yunwu, 1070 m, 12 June 2004, Y. S. Chen 4174 (PE) & 4179 (PE); Leishan County, Xijiang, Leigongping, 900–1600 m, 11 June 2004, Y. S. Chen 4153 (PE); Songtao County, Fanjingshan, 1120 m, 9 Oct. 1986, Sino-American Guizhou Expedition 2067 (PE); Xiuwen, 130 m, 10 July 2003, Ming-Tai An 377 (PE); Yinjiang County, Fanjingshan, 850–1300 m, Sino-American Guizhou Expedition 1571 (PE). Hunan: Chengbu County, 350 m, 19 Sept. 2004, Fang-Jun Huang 593 (PE); Chengbu County, Jintongshan, 1200 m, 12 April 2018, Y. S. Chen et al. 180210 (PE); Chengbu County, Lanrong Xiang, Sanjiangkou, 1300 m, 23 April 2018, Y. S. Chen et al. 180823 (PE); Dongkou County, 350 m, 19 Aug. 2004, Lin-Dong Duan 5374 (PE); Hongjiang County, 650 m, 28 June 2004, Biao Liu 63 (PE); Longhu County, 550 m, 19 Aug. 2004, Lin-Dong Duan 5615 (PE); Suining County, 550 m, 2 Aug. 2004, Fang-Jun Huang 273 (PE); Xinning County, Langshan, Hongwashan, 420 m, 21 Aug. 1994, Lin-Bo Luo 214 (PE).   
 Discussion:— Viola section Adnatae (Becker 1925: 368) Wang (1991: 41) is characterized by having adnate stipules, style clavate, stigma beaked and margined. There are about 60 species in the section Adnatae, distributed mainly in Eastern Asia, with a few species occurring in Europe, Oceania and North America (Chen 2006).   
 Viola miaolingensis is obviously a member of Viola section Adnatae because its adnate stipules, clavate style, beaked and margined stigma. It is similar to V. violacea in habit, and the shape and color of leaves, but differs for its spur much shorter (2–3 mm vs. 5–7 mm) and straight (vs. usually slightly curved upward), lateral petals distinctly bearded (vs. glabrous or rarely sparsely bearded), petals obovate-oblong (vs. ovate), and flowers white-violet or white-mauve, with purple or violet veins (vs. red-purple)(Table 1). V. miaolingensis occurs in Hunan, Guangxi and Guizhou of China, while V. violacea occurs in Japan, Korea and Eastern China (Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang).
description: Published as part of Chen, You-Sheng, 2019, Viola miaolingensis (Violaceae), a new species from southern China, pp. 251-256 in Phytotaxa 400 (4) on pages 251-255, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.400.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/13716369