Veronicastrum wulingense
| Veronicastrum wulingense | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Veronicastrum |
| Species: | V. wulingense
|
| Binomial name | |
| Veronicastrum wulingense G.W. Hu & Q.F. Wang
| |
Veronicastrum wulingense, known as wu ling fu shui cao (Chinese: 武陵腹水草), is a herbaceous plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It is endemic to a small geographic range in China.[1] The perennial herb is from the genus Veronicastrum, a genus that is used in traditional Chinese medicine.[1] Stemming from the family Plantaginaceae, there are close to twenty species of Veronicastrum, with a primary geographic location in East Asia, though there is one species, Veronicastrum virginicum[2] that is endemic to North America.[1]
Description[edit]
The species was found in the Pingbaying National Forest Park, Xianfeng County, Southwestern Hubei, China, in June 2021, close to rocks, along the walkways of a broadleaf forest. Comparisons to other Veronicastrum species found that it was indeed a new species.[1]
Morphology[edit]
Comparison of morphology was done between the new Veronicastrum species and other related Veronicastrum species based on the Flora of China, the Flora of Taiwan, and the Flora of Japan.[1] The new species was also virtually examined in the world's major herbarium in China.[1] The botanists compared twelve other Veronicastrum species from different areas for validation of the species type.[1] Specimens of Pseudolysimachion spicatum (L.) Opiz in China were also collected and prepared.[1] A specific morphological comparison between V. wulingense and the similar species V. liukiuense (Ohwi) T.Yamaz. was done to validate the characteristics of the new species.[1] The specimens of the Veronicastrum wulingense are in the herbarium of Wuhan Botanical Garden (HIB), Chinese Academy of Sciences.[1] DNA extraction and sequencing was done on thirteen samples to construct a phylogenetic tree to show where the new taxon in Veronicastrum should stand.[1]
Phenology[edit]
Veronicastrum wulingense was observed flowering from June to July and produces fruit from August to October.[1]
Taxonomy[edit]
The species was first described in 2023.[1] As of April 2023[update], it was not listed in the International Plant Names Index.[3] The epithet wulingense refers to the Wuling Shan Region, where Veronicastrum wulingense is located and it has been given the Chinese name wu ling fu shui cao (Chinese: 武陵腹水草).[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Ding, S-X; Jiang, H; Tian, J; Ren, J; Mutie, FM; Waswa, EN; Hu, G-W; Wang, Q-F (2023). "Veronicastrum wulingense (Plantaginaceae), a new species from southwestern Hubei, China". Botanical Studies. 64 (1): 3. Bibcode:2023BotSt..64....3D. doi:10.1186/s40529-023-00367-y. PMC 9889593. PMID 36720741.
- ^ "Culver's Root (Culver's-physic, Black Root, Bowman's Root, Physic Root)". The Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc. | Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden.
- ^ "Search for "Veronicastrum wulingense"". International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 2023-04-24.