Ornithoboea brachycarpa C. Xiong, F. Wen & Y. G. Wei sp. nov.
Figs 4, 5
Type.
China • Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region: Nanning City, Shanglin County, Chengtai Township, 23 ° 28 ' N, 108 ° 45 ' E, elev. ca. 140 m, 10 June 2025, Chi Xiong et al. DXGJ 250610-01 (holotype IBK!, IBK 00472885; isotypes IBK! IBK 00472886–00472894).
Diagnosis.
Ornithoboea brachycarpa is unique in the genus with its bearded sterile projections on the stamens (in species, where present, glabrous) and has also straight, non-spirally twisted, capsules which are rare in the genus.
Description.
Biennial to perennial herbs; monocarpic habit, with entire plant senescing after fruit maturation, perennation possible by dormant rhizome buds formed in favourable autumn environmental conditions, leading to new shoots in subsequent spring. Stems erect to ascending, 20–50 (– 75) cm tall, 3.2–5.8 mm in diameter, red at base, densely villous and glandular pubescent throughout; stem internodes 1.2–5.8 cm long. Leaves opposite, petiolate; petiole 1.8–13.7 cm long, 2–4 mm in diameter, light green, base sometimes red, densely glandular puberulous; leaf blade suborbicular to ovate, 3.2–9.7 × 2.8–8.6 cm, thinly chartaceous, adaxially green, abaxially pale green, densely white-glandular puberulous on both surfaces, base slightly unequal, cordate, margin irregularly denticulate to crenate, apex acute, obtuse to rounded, secondary veins 3–6 pairs, tertiary venation reticulate. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, 5–18 cm long, densely glandular puberulous, peduncle 2.5–12 cm long, 1–2 mm in diameter; bracts 2, opposite, free, lanceolate, 4.2–5.8 × 1–1.2 mm, pubescent on both sides; pedicels 8–18 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter. Calyx 5 - parted to base, lobes ovate to elliptic, green, 3 - veined, 4–4.5 × 2–2.4 mm, pubescent on both sides, margin entire, apex acute, reflexed in flowering and fruiting. Corolla bilabiate, 8–10 mm long, light purple to violet, sparsely glandular puberulous outside; tube 3–3.5 mm long, inflated in side view, slightly compressed ventrally, inside light purple; upper lip slightly 2 - lobed, erect to slightly reflexed, 1.5–2 mm long, densely glandular-pubescent with circlet of longer hairs, lobes ca. 0.5 mm long, apex rounded; lower lip 3 - lobed, slightly reflexed, ca. 4.5 mm long, pubescent in addition to the palatal beard at base of lobes, lobes slightly obovate, 3.4–4.2 × 2.6–3.2 mm, apex rounded. Stamens 2; filaments ca. 3 mm long, adnate ca. 3.5 mm from corolla base and bent backwards to base of tube with a distinct sterile projection bearing yellow beard, projection ca. 1 mm long, 0.4–0.6 in diameter, beard 0.3–0.5 mm long; anthers turning dark purple when dehisced, reniform, 1 × 0.5 mm, slightly constricted at middle, with the dehiscence slit, white; staminodes 3, glabrous, white, lateral ones linear, incurved, ca. 1.5 mm long, adnate ca. 1 mm above corolla tube base, the central one inconspicuous, adnate ca. 0.8 mm above corolla tube base. Pistil 5–6 mm long; ovary 1.2–1.5 mm long, white, glandular pubescent, with orange glands; style ca. 3.5 cm long, ca. 0.5 mm in diameter, white, sparsely glandular-pubescent; stigma capitate. Immature capsule 2–2.5 mm long, pale green, glandular pubescent, with orange glands; mature capsule straight, 2.5–3 mm long, ca. 1.5 mm in diameter, yellowish-brown, non-spirally twisted, style and orange glands persistent, longitudinally dehiscing into four valves.
Phenology.
Flowering from May to June; fruiting from June to September.
Etymology.
The specific epithet ‘ brachycarpa’ is derived from the Greek words ‘ brachys ’ (short) and ‘ karpos ’ (fruit), referring to its having the shortest fruits within the genus Ornithoboea. The name and concept of this species were established jointly by C. Xiong, F. Wen & Y. G. Wei, with Prof. Y. G. Wei contributing his expertise in Chinese Gesneriaceae and cave flora.
Vernacular name.
guǎng xī xǐ què jǔ tái (Chinese pronunciation); 广西喜鹊苣苔 (Chinese name).
Distribution and ecology.
This new species is currently known only from the type locality at an elevation of ca. 140 m. It grows on dry rock surfaces at the entrance or on the ground inside a karst cave (Fig. 4 A – D). The most frequent co-occurring vascular plant species include Ficus tinctoria subsp. gibbosa (Blume) Corner (Moraceae), Pteris vittata L. and Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (Pteridaceae).
Conservation status.
Ornithoboea brachycarpa is currently known from only one population at the type locality. The population size is estimated at around 150–200 mature individuals. The species inhabits the entrance and ground inside a karst cave located on a hillside near a village. The cave shows clear signs of human activity, with ritual burial jars stored inside as part of a local traditional cave-burial custom. Occasional visits by villagers for ceremonial practices, including tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival, involve the removal of surrounding plants. Although not intentionally targeted, individuals of O. brachycarpa may be damaged or removed during these activities, exposing the population to potential disturbance. Following the IUCN guidelines (IUCN 2024), the species is provisionally assessed as Endangered (EN D).
Publication Date: 2026-06-17