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

Popular Posts

Mashpi walkingstick (Trychopeplus mashpiensis) from Chocó, Ecuador, based on males, females and eggs

NEWS - Researchers report Mashpi walkingstick ( Trychopeplus mashpiensis Conle, Valero & Hennemann, sp. nov.) from the Chocó ecoregion of northwestern Ecuador is new to science based on its unique body ornamentation and egg structure morphology. Trychopeplus Shelford 1909 is a genus of Neotropical stick insects (Phasmida Leach 1815) known for its remarkable morphological adaptations that allow it to blend in almost perfectly with epiphytic lichens in its habitat. These adaptations make Trychopeplus one of the most cryptic stick insect genera. The genus was described to distinguish the Neotropical species from Pericentrus Redtenbacher 1908 based on morphological differences and distinct geographic distribution compared to the type species Pericentrus moewisi Redtenbacher 1908. Pericentrus is known to be restricted to East and South Asia, whereas Trychopeplus is endemic to the Neotropics. Oskar Conle from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Germany, Pablo Valero from the Un...

Giant shield bug (Pycanum alternatum)

Giant shield bug or pycanum rubens ( Pycanum alternatum ) is a species of animal in Tessaratomidae, has a large shield covering the back, shiny green-blue-brown colored and appears to have a powder or wax layer, inhabiting the leaves of plants in open forests or bushes . P. alternatum is also called a stink bug because of its ability to release pungent aromas when disturbed. These insects live solitary with a partner and usually the mother gather in a family together in nymphs. White eggs are attached under the leaves of the plant. Nymphs can be found in the same host as their parent. The nymph has a flat rectangular shape with a large vein in the middle like a flat leaf. Nymphs having striking colors are light green, orange and red. Color may represent various stages of development or gender. The initial stage has a small size and red color. It grows in a bigger size and turns orange then ends in green. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hemipter...

Purwaceng (Pimpinella pruatjan)

Purwaceng or purwoceng or antanan gunung or Viagra of Java ( Pimpinella pruatjan or Pimpinella priatjan ) are small termas growing horizontally in Apiaceae, growing in villages on Dieng Plateau, Central Java Province, Indonesia, at 1,500 to 2,000 meters above sea level, the roots have medicinal properties for aphrodisiacs and are usually processed in powder form for a mixture of coffee or milk. P. pruatjan grows flat on the ground but does not propagate, small leaves are reddish green for 1-3 cm in diameter. This plant is only found in Java and grows in high mountain areas. A low population where industrial demand is very high results in increasingly scarce. Another place that is likely to become a purwaceng habitat is the Iyang Mountains and the Tengger Mountains in East Java Province. Efforts to multiply and cultivate have a big problem where these plants have difficulty producing seeds. In vitro propagation research through tissue cultivation has been carried out to overcome ...