Houlin Zhou

During a taxonomic revision of the genus Meehania (Lamiaceae), we re-evaluated the identity and nomenclatural status of Meehania faberi (Hemsley) C. Y. Wu. The protologue cited two specimens without designating a holotype; further study revealed that these specimens represent two distinct species. Therefore, in this paper, we designate a lectotype for Meehania faberi (Hemsl.) C. Y. Wu, provide a description of the new species, and assign it the name M. triangularis. The lectotypification of M. faberi and the recognition of M. triangularis clarify a long-standing nomenclatural and taxonomic confusion in the genus Meehania.

Scutellaria wushanensis (Lamiaceae), found in the broad-leaf forest of Chongqing Wulipo National Nature Reserve, Chongqing, China, is described and illustrated as a new species after comparing it with related species. The new species shares a similar leaf shape and inflorescence morphology with Scutellaria lotienensis. However, the new species can be clearly distinguished from Scutellaria lotienensis by the bract shape, the pubescence inside the corolla, the hairless filaments, and the posterior corolla lobe shape and the purple-red patches.

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Oreocharis wuxiensis, is described and illustrated from Wuxi County, Chongqing Municipality, China. The new species is morphologically similar to O. giraldii in the leaf blade’s shape and indumentum and the corolla’s shape and color. It can be easily distinguished by the shape of the corolla tube and lobes, the indumentum and pistil length, and the ovary’s size and style. At present, a total of three populations were confirmed in Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Wuxi County, with about 500 mature individuals. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, it is provisionally assessed as Vulnerable (VU D1).

Vincetoxicum is one of the largest genera in Apocynaceae with recent expansion that includes former Tylophora, Biondia, and other small genera. In this study, we describe Vincetoxicum pingtaoanum sp. nov., a new woody species of Apocynaceae from the Three Gorges District in Central China based on our recent field and old herbarium collections. It is unique due to its growth habit and leaf characteristics which is similar to the former Biondia species. However, it has the well-developed corona common to the former Tylophora species. Diagnostic characteristics, a full description, photographs, ecology, and a distribution map and conservation status of the new species are provided in this study. Detailed comparisons with similar species and a key to all known species of Vincetoxicum from the Three Gorges District are also provided.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum var. pubescensis is a variety species of Z. bungeanum Maxim. that is characterized with small leaf plants and possess high resistant to cold stress among the genus Zanthoxylum. In the current study, the complete chloroplast genome sequences of two different leaf shapes were assembled. One type of leaflets is thin paper, and the color on both sides is obviously different after drying, and the fruit stalk is slender and elongated; the other type of leaflets are the thick paper, the leaf surface and fruit stalk are glabrous, the fruit stalk is thicker, and the lateral veins are recessed on the leaf surface and appear to be cracked. Their circular DNA lengths were all 158,565 bp. Both genomes were made up of a large single-copy (LSC), a small single-copy (SSC), and two inverted repeat (IRs) regions. Each genome encoded 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that both species were closely related to the congeneric Z. bungeanum.