J Syst Evol ›› 1980, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (1): 50-52.

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Wulfeniopsis Hong—A new genus of Scrophulariaceae from Himalaya

Hong De-Yuan   

  • Published:1980-02-18

Abstract: While we were investigating the world Veroniceae we found the genus Wulfenia Jacq. discontinuously distributing. W. carinthiaca and W. baldaccii are found in south-eastern Europe and W. orientalis in Turkey and Lebanon, whereas W. amherstiana is a native of W. Himalaya. Such a pattern of distribution, discontinuous between the Mediterranean and W. Himalaya, as far as we know, is hardly frequent. After comparing carefully the specimens from these two places and examining their pollen grains we got the impression that the difference between the plants occuring near the Mediterranean and those in Himalaya is so big that they should no longer be placed in the same genus. It would be necessary, therefore, to describe W. amherstiana as a new and separate genus (we name it Wulfeniopsis Hong). Its corolla is not 2-lipped, but with four lobes (not five) lanceolate, acuminate and erect (not spreading). The stigma is very small, not 2-lobed. Pollen grains are much smaller, with colpi more narrow and lacking of membranes, and their exines are smooth (not reticulate). It’s chromosome numberis 2n = 16 (not 18).