Primula xinningensis (Primulaceae), a new species from karst caves in Hunan, China

Abstract

Primula xinningensis Wei Zhang bis & J.W.Shao, a new species from Hunan Province, China, is described. Its leaf morphology is similar to the P. merrilliana complex and flower morphology similar to P. cicutariifolia, but it can be distinguished from the former by the black pollen sac, corolla lobes apex obviously emarginate and can be differed from the latter by cotyledon triangular obovate, plants densely covered with glandular hairs and special habitat (karst caves). The whole plastid genome of this new species is 151, 601–151, 630 bp in length. Based on the whole plastid genome sequences, phylogenetic trees revealed that the new species did not genetically relate to the above two mentioned morphologically similar species, but it was closely related to P. hubeiensis. Currently, only three populations were discovered within a small distribution area, thus, it is preliminarily considered as Vulnerable (VU) according to criteria of the IUCN Red List.