Ailaoshan loosestrife (Lysimachia ailaoshanensis), a new member of subgenus Palladia, section Chenopodiopsis

NEWS - A new species of Ailaoshan loosestrife (Lysimachia ailaoshanensis) related to subgen. Palladia sect. Chenopodiopsis and most similar to L. chenopodioides and L. remotiflora, but distinguished by narrower lanceolate leaf blades, longer petioles, narrower stamens and longer pistils.

L. ailaoshanensis was collected by Hai-Fei Yan of the South China Botanical Garden and colleagues at Mount Ailao, Yunnan, in August 2020. Subsequent field visits were conducted to confirm its presence and examination to describe and compare with all other Lysimachia species.

Based on the classification of Lysimachia by Handel-Mazzetti (1928), the new species is characterized by alternate leaves, racemes with sparse or solitary flowers in the upper leaf axils, free filaments, attached in the middle of the corolla, and pedicels usually shorter than the corolla.

About 8 species are known in southwest China and adjacent areas including Bhutan, India, Kashmir, northern Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and some outliers in Thailand, the Mediterranean coast and southeast Africa. The new species is only known from the type site in Yunnan Province, Jingdong Yi Autonomous County and grows on the edge of mixed-evergreen secondary forest.

Investigations over the past three years, only one population with five individuals was found in an area of 10 km2 in Jingdong Yi Autonomous County. In addition, the local habitat is threatened by road construction and tourism development. The researchers propose the status of Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria guidelines (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024).

Original research

Yan H-F, Hao G (2024). Lysimachia ailaoshanensis (Primulaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China. PhytoKeys 246: 277-282, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.246.130838

Dlium theDlium

Plumeria rubra and Plumeria obtusa, the differences

SPECIES HEAD TO HEAD - The genus frangipani trees ( Plumeria Tourn. ex L.) has only 18 officially recorded species and two very similar species, frangipani ( Plumeria rubra L.) and white frangipani ( Plumeria obtusa L.). Both have the same habitus, flowers and fruits and are difficult to distinguish. The leaves of both species have slightly different shapes. Therefore, the leaves are very important to distinguish the two species, especially the shape of the tip. P. rubra has simple, lanceolate leaves with acute tips. P. obtusa has simple, elliptic leaves with rounded tips. By Aryo Bandoro Founder of Dlium.com . You can follow him on X: @Abandoro . Read more: Plumeria rubra Plumeria obtusa

Bugang (Clerodendrum calamitosum)

Bugang ( Clerodendrum calamitosum ) is a species of plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is an erect shrub, growing up to 1 meter tall, with cylindrical, green stems and white hairs. The leaves are opposite. The leaf blade is oval, wavy, with a central main vein with numerous pinnate minor veins, and serrated margins. The leaves are up to 9 cm long and 7 cm wide. The petiole is up to 2 cm long. The flowers are star-shaped, white, up to 3 cm in diameter and up to 6 cm in total length. The fruit is round, dark green, turning black when ripe. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Subfamily: Ajugoideae Genus: Clerodendrum L. in Sp. Pl.: 637 (1753) Species: Clerodendrum calamitosum L. in Mant. Pl. 1: 90 (1767) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Clerodendrum fastigiatum (W.Hunter ex Ridl.) H.J.Lam in Verben. Malay. Archip.: 317 (1919) Volkameria alternifolia Burm.f. in Fl. Indica: 137 (1768) Volkameria fastigiata W.Hunter...

Common sun skink (Eutropis multifasciata)

Kadal kebun or bengkarung or Mabuya multifasciata or common sun skink ( Eutropis multifasciata ) is a species of lizard in Scincidae, has a pattern of faint lines extending to the sides of the body, measuring 18 to 22 cm in length with a tail length of about 60% of the overall body and more many live on the ground. E. multifasciata has a sharp head with a very short neck and a square cross section. The upper part is dark brown or shiny grayish brown with a golden body side especially near the neck. Sometimes also decorated with small pale spots on the back. The lower neck is light brown and the abdomen to the anus is pale brown. The muzzle is reddish, the tail is the same color as the body, decorated with a faint dark line on the sides. The arms are also the same color as the upper body. Common sun skinks usually live on the edge of forests, gardens, rice fields and human settlements. They spend most of their time on the ground, usually in crevices and rocky cliffs as a place t...

Dlium