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Issue: Vol. 326 No. 1: 20 October 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-10-20
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.326.1.4
Page range: 54–62
Abstract views: 18
PDF downloaded: 1

Aster oliganthus (Asteraceae, Astereae), a new species from western Sichuan, China, based on morphological and molecular data

Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Crop Sterile Germplasm Resource Innovation and Application, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Department of Biological Science and Technology, Kunming University, Kunming 650201, China
Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangxi Typical Trees Cultivation and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Crop Sterile Germplasm Resource Innovation and Application, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Aster Diploid species Mt. Hengduanshan region nrDNA Taxonomy Eudicots

Abstract

Aster oliganthus (Asteraceae, Astereae), a new species from two populations of the eastern Mt. Hengduanshan region in western Sichuan, China, is illustrated and described. The new species is similar to A. ageratoides in habit, triplinerved leaves, lower and basal leaves withering at anthesis, terminal paniculate-corymbiform to corymbiform synflorescences, and 3–5-seriate phyllaries, but differs from it by falcate leaves with long acuminate to caudate apex, 5–7(–9) ray florets, and (2–)4–5 disc florets. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of internal and external transcribed spacers of nrDNA, we demonstrated that the two populations form a highly supported clade, are closely related to but not nested within the A. ageratoides clade, which supports that A. oliganthus is a good species and belongs to A. subgen. Aster sect. Ageratoides. Cytological observation shows that the new species is diploid with its karyotype being 2n =2x =18 = 16m + 2sm.