Ardisia (coralberry or marlberry) is the largest genus of flowering plants in Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia. Several revisions based on morphology attempted to clarify the taxonomy and systematics of Ardisia. However, there are still numerous unsolved taxonomical and nomenclatural issues, and many characters have transitional expressions to varying degrees.
Researchers recently reported a new Ardisia species which was introduced from the wild and cultivated in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) in Yunnan. After making morphological observations and measurements on living plants and herbarium specimens, the researchers confirmed it new to science.
The new species was named as Ardisia chimingiana to honor Prof. HU Chiming who has made significant contributions to the taxonomy of Ardisia in China and Southeast Asia. It was published in Annales Botanici Fennici.
Ardisia chimingiana has entire leaf margins lacking glands, axillary umbellate racemose inflorescences, and distinctly dextrorse imbricate calyx lobes with rounded apex. This combination of characters suggests it belongs to Ardisia subgenus Tinus. Of Chinese species, A. solanacea, A. elliptica and A. attenuata belong to that subgenus.
"Ardisia chimingiana has long been misidentified in China as A. solanacea and A. polycephala due to similarities in leaf blades and inflorescences. However, it differs from those two species by having fewer leaf veins, inflorescences with fewer flowers, shorter peduncle, glabrous calyx margin, and fruits not turning black.A. solanacea,” said TAN Yunhong of XTBG.
Ardisia chimingiana is known only from the type locality in Yunnan. It grows at low elevations of around 580 meters above sea level in the margin of dense evergreen tropical forests and on river banks.
Contact
TAN Yunhong Principal Investigator
Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
E-mail: tyh@xtbg.org.cn
First published: 5 January 2024
Ardisia chimingiana (Image by TAN Yunhong)
Ardisia chimingiana (Image by TAN Yunhong)
Ardisia chimingiana (Image by TAN Yunhong)
Ardisia chimingiana (Image by TAN Yunhong)
