Skip to main content

Island golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium insularis) in Saxifragaceae from southern islands of South Korea

Island golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium insularis) in Saxifragaceae from southern islands of South Korea

NEWS - Island golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium insularis sp. nov.) in the Saxifragaceae from the southern islands of the Republic of Korea is morphologically similar to Chrysosplenium japonicum (Maxim.), differing in that it has fairly persistent bulbils, green to yellowish-green sepals, 4 stamens and cylindrical papillose seeds.

Chrysosplenium L. is a perennial herbaceous member of the Saxifragaceae comprising over 70 species, mostly distributed in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and shaded and moist habitats in mountains. Biogeographically, Chrysosplenium is known to originate from East Asia and several independent lineages have migrated to the New World.

Thirteen species of Chrysosplenium are recognized on the Korean Peninsula (C. flaviflorum, C. epigealum, C. ramosissimum, C. valdepilosum, C. aureobracteatum, C. barbatum, C. ramosum, C. grayanum, C. sinicum, C. macrostemon, C. japonicum, C. serreanum and C. flagelliferum).

During a floristic survey in southern Korea in March 2020, researchers discovered a new species restricted to the southern Korean islands that flowers and fruits from March to May.

Distribution South Korean coastal areas (Jeju-do and Gageo-do Islands). Forests, wet places in forests and shaded places on riverbanks. The specific epithet “insularis” refers to the distribution on the islands. The local name is island golden saxifrage: Seom-gwaeng-i-nun (섬괭이눈).

C. insularis is a perennial herb, hermaphroditic, 5–15 cm tall. Bulbils present near stem base, fairly persistent, pink, turning darkish brown, pilose. Roots fibrous, white. Stems erect, cespitose, light green to green, sparsely hairy, without stolons.

Basal leaves of flowering stems 1–6, opposite, simple, estipulate; petiole 3–9 cm long, glabrescent or sparsely hairy; blade reniform, 13–20 mm × 15–25 mm, apex rounded and often retuse, margins dentate to crenate, 13–17 teeth, base cordate, adaxially green, pilose, abaxially pale green, subglabrous.

Cauline leaves of flowering stems 1–4, alternate, simple, estipulate; petiole 5–22 mm long, glabrescent or sparsely hairy; blade flabellate to reniform, 7–12 mm × 11–18 mm, apex retuse and often rounded or obtuse, margins dentate to crenate, 9–13 teeth, base cordate to broadly cuneate, adaxially green, pilose, abaxially pale green, subglabrous.

Inflorescences terminal, 6–14 flowered cymes, surrounded by leaf-like bracts; peduncles 4.59–18.54 mm long; pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm long, sparsely pilose; bracteal leaves by inflorescence 3, petiole 0.2–4.7 mm long, glabrescent or sparsely hairy; blade subflabellate to orbicular, 2–18 × 2–14 mm, apex truncate and often retuse, margins dentate to crenate, 5–9 teeth, base broadly cuneate to subcordate, adaxially green, sparsely pilose to glabrescent, abaxially pale green, subglabrous.

Flowers 4-merous, actinomorphic; sepals petaloid 4, free, erect to subspreading, ovate to broadly ovate, 1.2–2.1 × 1.5–3.1 mm, apex obtuse or rounded, yellowish green to green, glabrous; stamens 4; filaments narrow conical, 0.3–0.4 mm long; anthers 0.2 mm long, yellow; pistil 2-carpellate, semi-inferior; 1-locular ovary; styles 2, free, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm long; stigma round; disc present.

Capsules 2-lobed, horn-shaped, lobes subequal, 2.8–3.7 × 3.8–5.2 mm long, green, glabrous, dehiscent along the adaxial suture. Seeds numerous, ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.7–0.9 × 0.5–0.6 mm, brown to dark brown, cylindrical papillose on smooth surfaces.

Among the species distributed in Korea, C. insularis is morphologically similar to C. japonicum in terms of leaf arrangement, leaf margins and bractal color. However, clear differences are seen in the bulbil shape (present, fairly persistent vs. present].

Bracteal leaf surface (adaxial sparsely hairy to glabrous, abaxial subglabrous vs. mostly glabrous), sepal color (green to yellowish green vs. yellowish green to yellow), number of stamens (4 vs. usually 8) and seed surface (cylindrical papillose vs. papillose).

The new species is morphologically similar to C. alternifolium distributed in northern Eurasia, differing in stolons (absent vs. present), bract color (green vs. yellow), sepal color (green to yellowish green vs. golden yellow), number of stamens (4 vs. 8) and seed surface (cylindrical papillose vs. smooth).

Original research

Jang JE, Park BK, Lee K-H, Kim H-J, Gil H-Y (2024). Description and phylogenetic position of a new species, Chrysosplenium insularis J.E.Jang, K.H.Lee & H.Y.Gil (Saxifragaceae), from the southern islands of South Korea. PhytoKeys 248: 91-104, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.248.131291

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...
Read more

Red costate tiger moth (Aloa lactinea)

Red costate tiger moth ( Aloa lactinea ) is an animal species in the Erebidae, a moth with a wingspan of 40 mm, a yellow belly, black antennae with red basalt joints, dark red palpi on the sides and white below, black terminal joints, living in forests and agriculture in the lowlands to mountainous areas. A. lactinea has a white head with a red stripe on the back. Thorax is white. The wings are predominantly white in color with black dots on each corner of the cells and a red margin. The wings have branched pulse lines and a starchy surface. The wing-covered upper abdomen is black with large elliptical plots and is colored yellow forming cells. The lower abdomen is white and has fine hairs that fall out easily. A pair of antennas is black. The forelegs are red, white and black. The other legs are white on the top and black on the bottom. The final joints are white and black which form alternating rings. Tip and sole black all over. The larvae are black in color with a lateral crest ...
Read more

Takenoshin Nakai swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum nakaianum) replaces V. magnificum and C. magnificum

NEWS - Researchers reported an erect herbaceous species distributed in the eastern part of Honshu Island, Vincetoxicum magnificum (Nakai) Kitag. based on Cynanchum magnificum Nakai, nomen nudum. Therefore, they named this species Takenoshin Nakai swallow-wort ( Vincetoxicum nakaianum K.Mochizuki & Ohi-Toma). Vincetoxicum Wolf (Asclepiadeae) is the third largest genus in the Asclepiadoideae consisting of about 260 species geographically extending from tropical Africa, Asia and Oceania to temperate regions of Eurasia. A total of 23 species are known from Japan, including 16 endemic species. Molecular phylogeny divides Japanese Vincetoxicum into four groups: the “Far Eastern” clade consisting of 11 endemic species and 4 more widespread species, 1 sister species to the “Far Eastern” clade, the “subtropical” clade consisting of 2 species and the “Vincetoxicum s. str.” clade consisting of 5 species. V. magnificum (Nakai) Kitag. (Japanese: tachi-gashiwa) is closely related to V. macro...
Read more