J Syst Evol ›› 2012, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (5): 467-476.DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-6831.2012.00196.x

• Research Articles • Previous Articles    

Foonchewia guangdongensis gen. et sp. nov. (Rubioideae: Rubiaceae) and its systematic position inferred from chloroplast sequences and morphology

1,2Hai-Zhen WEN 1Rui-Jiang WANG*   

  1. 1(South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China)
    2(Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)
  • Received:2011-12-13 Published:2012-09-05

Abstract: The new species, Foonchewia guangdongensis R. J. Wang & H. Z. Wen and the new monotypic genus Foonchewia R. J. Wang (Rubioideae, Rubiaceae), are described from eastern Guangdong, China. It is characterized by its subshrub habit, pentamerous and heterostylous flowers, 2-1ocular ovary with many ovules, and apically dehiscent capsules with numerous angulated seeds. Phylogenetic analysis of four chloroplast DNA regions (rbcL, rps16, ndhF, and atpB-rbcL) revealed that the new genus is nested in the Spermacoceae alliance and is sister to Dunnia. Morphological comparison between these two genera indicated that they had few synapomorphies; it was therefore inappropriate to classify the new genus in the existing tribe Dunnieae, and a new tribe, Foonchewieae R. J. Wang, is accordingly proposed.

Key words: Foonchewia, Foonchewia guangdongensis, Foonchewieae, new genus, new species, Rubiaceae.