Skip to main content

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

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. macrophyllum Siebold. & Zucc. (Japanese: tsukushi-gashiwa) and V. macrophyllum var. nikoense Maxim. (≡Cynanchum nikoense (Maxim.) Makino; Japanese: tsuru-gashiwa) which belong to the basal lineage of the clade “Vincetoxicum s.str.”.

These three taxa have been recognized in several publications so far, including the current Japanese flora. Recently, the author introduced V. magnificum in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, but the name is not legally published according to the International Code of Nomenclature.

The species was first published by Nakai (1937) as C. magnificum Nakai, in connection with a taxonomic study of the related species V. macrophyllum (as Cynanchum grandifolium Hemsl.) and V. macrophyllum var. nikoense (as Cynanchum nikoense (Maxim.) Makino).

In the publication, the name C. magnificum Nakai was proposed for the “tachi-gashiwa” population distributed in the Kanto region of Honshu, Japan, but no Latin description, diagnosis or even indirect reference to a previous description was given. Therefore, the name C. magnificum Nakai is a nomen nudum (ICN Art. 38.1 and 39.1).

Later, based on this nomen nudum, Kitagawa (1959) published V. magnificum (Nakai) Kitag.; therefore, this combination was not validly published. Furthermore, the name cannot be considered a novum species, “Vincetoxicum magnificum Kitag.”, because it is not accompanied by a description, diagnosis or reference to a previously published Latin description or diagnosis.

In the present study, the Japanese species “tachi-gashiwa” was validly described as V. nakaianum K.Mochizuki & Ohi-Toma with a detailed description. In this case, the proposed name is not “nomen novum” but “species nova” because C. magnificum and V. magnificum have never been legally published.

V. nakaianum is morphologically similar to V. macrophyllum but is distinguished by erect stems ending in inflorescences and larger flowers, green to brownish, 10-15 mm in diameter. (vs. dark purple flowers and 4-5 mm in diameter) with glabrous crowns (vs. villi).

Flowering March-May and fruiting June-February. Elevation 100-850 m. This species grows in Japanese cedar plantation forests and deciduous forests dominated by Fagus japonica Maxim., Abies firma Siebold & Zucc., Quercus L., Acer L., and Carpinus L. The species epithet is given in honor of Prof. Takenoshin Nakai (1882-1952).

Original research

Mochizuki K, Nemoto S, Murata J, Ohi-Toma T (2024). Vincetoxicum nakaianum (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae), a new species from Japan for Cynanchum magnificum Nakai, nomen nudum. PhytoKeys 247: 191-201, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.125070

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Black potato (Coleus rotundifolius)

Black potato ( Coleus rotundifolius ) is a species of plant in Lamiaceae, herbaceous, fibrous roots and tubers, erect and slightly creeping stems, quadrangular, thick, and slightly odorous. Single leaves, thick, membranous, opposite and alternate. Leaves are oval, dark green and shiny on the upper side, bright green on the lower side. Up to 5 cm long, up to 4 cm wide, slightly hairy and pinnate leaf veins. Leaf stalks up to 4 cm long. Small, purple flowers. Star-shaped petals, lip-shaped crown, dark to light purple with a slightly curved tube shape. Flowering from February-August. Small tubers, brown and white flesh and tuber length 2-4 cm. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Subfamily: Nepetoideae Tribe: Ocimeae Subtribe: Plectranthinae Genus: Coleus Species: Coleus rotundifolius
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

Bright white flat-backed millipede (Trichopeltis jiyue) like moon emerging from behind dark rain clouds

NEWS - Bright white flat-backed millipede ( Trichopeltis jiyue sp. nov.) from Ailaoshan National Nature Reserve in Yunnan Province, is the second recorded epigean species of Trichopeltis Pocock 1894 in China. Jiyue (Chinese spelling) refers to the bright white appearance of the animal, like the moon emerging from behind dark rain clouds. Polydesmida is one of the most diverse orders of Diplopoda (millipedes) with about 5000 species in 30 families and is widely distributed worldwide. All Polydesmida are blind, eyeless and metaterga usually show small to prominent lateral paranota or paraterga. Cryptodesmidae Karsch 1880 is a family Polydesmida with about 40 genera and 130 species distributed in the Neotropics (Mexico to Argentina), Afrotropics (continental sub-Saharan Africa) and Asia-Australasia (Central Asia and the Himalayas to Japan and Papua New Guinea). In tropical or subtropical Asia and Australasia, 12 genera and 36 species have been documented in Cryptodesmidae. Trichopeltis P...
Read more