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

Dry Valleys on Antarctic continent is the driest place in the world

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world, rainfall is very low, only stretches of sand and rocks without rivers and plants further strengthen the view of drought. However, it turns out that the place is not the driest place in the world. Dry Valleys in Antarctica, although the continent is covered in ice, but has one part that is completely dry. Although the average rainfall in most of the Sahara Desert is less than 20 millimeters per year, there are still drier places. Dry Valleys in Antarctica is much drier where the average rainfall is 0 millimeters per year and gets the title of the driest place in the world. The valleys have so low humidity that there is almost no ice. This is the largest ice free place on the Antarctic continent. The area is surrounded by mountains that block ice from flowing into the valley. Drought is also caused by strong katabalic gusts from mountain peaks where cold air blows down the hill due to gravity. The wind has speeds of up to 322 k...
Read more

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

Tripa tiger moth (Nannoarctia tripartita)

Tripa tiger moth ( Nannoarctia tripartita ) is an animal species in the Erebidae, a moth with a forewing length of 14-18 mm, predominantly black or dark brown with white and orange hues, thick fur on the dorsal surface, long legs and antennae, living in forest scrub and agricultural land. N. tripartita in females has forewings 15-18 mm long, black or dark brown with slightly oblique transverse and few spots. The hind wings are yellow with large dark discal points and three other dots. Males have forewings 14-17 mm long, black or dark brown with transverse oblique postdiscal bands and several spots. The hind wings are yellow with brown costal margins, discal confluent points, wide ridges on the crest and angular points in the tornus. The head has a thin orange pattern and a pair of long black antennae. Long legs are black. Tripa tiger moths live in forest scrub, farmland and roadsides. More stationary by sticking to the leaf surface at the top. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropod...
Read more