Jiangyou gentian (Metagentiana jiangyouensis) growing on cliff at elevation of 1160-1513 meters

NEWS - Jiangyou gentian (Metagentiana jiangyouensis) in Gentianaceae is known only from the type locality in Hanzeng Town, Jiangyou, Mianyang, Sichuan, China, growing on a cliff at an elevation of 1160-1513 m, flowering and fruiting from December to April with the local name jiang you xia rui long (江油狭蕊龙胆).

Metagentiana T.N.Ho & S.W.Liu was separated from Gentiana L. based on morphology and cytology which included 14 species. The genus is monophyletic when excluding two yellow-flowered species, M. souliei (Franch.) T.N.Ho, S.W.Liu & Shi L.Chen and M. striata (Maxim.) T.N.Ho, S.W.Liu & Shi L.Chen which were transferred to the new genus Sinogentiana Adr.Favre & Y.M.Yuan.

Morphological and molecular evidence suggests that Metagentiana is closely related to Sinogentiana, Tripterospermum Blume and Crawfurdia Wall. Metagentiana contains 12 species of which 9 are in southwest China, one is widespread in northwest and central China, one is distributed in eastern Myanmar and one is endemic to Thailand.

M. jiangyouensis is similar to M. villifera and M. rhodantha in perennial habit, presence of basal rosette, leaves and flowers. These three are the only Chinese species of the genus to have a basal rosette and can therefore be easily distinguished from all other Chinese species.

M. jiangyouensis differs from these two in that it is entirely glabrous, the calyx lobes are angular to lanceolate 1.3-2(-3) mm long, the corolla tube has dark purple spots and the margins of the plicae are not fringed. The basal rosette and vegetative shoots are short and well developed.

M. villifera and M. rhodantha sometimes have basal rosette leaves or vegetative shoots, but these are usually poorly developed or the vegetative shoots will grow into longer stems later. The other species are annuals or biennials without rosettes.

M. jiangyouensis differs from M. rhodantha also by seeds with narrow wings along the edge (vs. M. rhodantha with broad wings). M. jiangyouensis and M. villifera grow on rock surfaces (vs. M. rhodantha grows in grasslands, alpine shrubs, forests and on rocks).

M. jiangyouensis grows in Jiangyou at elevations of 1160-1513 meters (vs. M. villifera in Junlian or more than 420 km from Jiangyou at elevations of 800 meters; M. rhodantha is widespread in southwest, northwest, central and southern China at elevations of 500-1800 meters). Flowering and fruiting phase of M. jiangyouensis December-April, (vs. M. villifera April-June; M. rhodantha October-February).

Original research

Cao H-F, Cai J, Zou Y, Sun H, Li F-F, Xiong A-d, Xu M-J (2024) Metagentiana jiangyouensis, a new species of Metagentiana (Gentianaceae) from Sichuan, China. PhytoKeys 247: 137-144, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.129934

Dlium theDlium

Crested blue ear (Cyanotis cristata)

Crested blue ear ( Cyanotis cristata ) is a species of plant in the Commelinaceae, a fleshy and strong herb, growing as a vine. Leaves 8 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, oblong, rounded or heart-shaped base, blunt or pointed tip, sparsely ciliated at the edge; sheath loose, up to 8 mm long, scaly. C. cristata has flowers 6-7 mm in diameter. Calyx tube 2 mm long, lobes 2-2.5 mm long, hairy. Corolla pale blue to purple, 6 mm long. Stamen filaments bearded, purple. Ovary rounded, hairy at the apex. Capsules 2-3 mm long, ovate. Seeds about 1 mm long, trigonous, 2 large holes on either side. This species grows in grasslands, degraded forest areas, wastelands, waterways and roadsides. C. cristata is found in wet rocky areas, moist soils, grasslands, ravines and riverbanks. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Liliopsida Order: Commelinales Family: Commelinaceae Subfamily: Commelinoideae Tribe: Tradescantieae Genus: Cyanotis Species: Cyanotis cristata

Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

Broad-leaved dock ( Rumex obtusifolius ) is a species of plant in the Polygonaceae, herbaceous perennial, growing broadly, up to 150 cm tall, large, oval-shaped leaves with a heart-shaped base and rounded tip, large taproot with many branches extending to a depth of 150 cm. R. obtusifolius has leaves up to 30 cm long, 15 cm wide and green. Stems are long, hard, alternate, green or reddish in color and unbranched until just below the inflorescence. A main vein in the middle and green or reddish in color. Flat or wavy surface. The inflorescences consist of large clusters of racemes that contain small, greenish flowers that turn red as they mature. Seeds are reddish brown and dry. Broad-leaved dock grows in fertile soils, grasslands, waste lands, roadsides, ditches, coastlines and riverbanks, forest margins, forest clearing and agricultural land. The leaves are used as a salad to make vegetable broth or cooked like spinach. Dried seeds are used as a spice. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tr...

Thomas Sutikna lives with Homo floresiensis

BLOG - On October 28, 2004, a paper was published in Nature describing the dwarf hominin we know today as Homo floresiensis that has shocked the world. The report changed the geographical landscape of early humans that previously stated that the Pleistocene Asia was only represented by two species, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens . The report titled "A new small-bodied hominin from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia" written by Peter Brown and Mike J. Morwood from the University of New England with Thomas Sutikna, Raden Pandji Soejono, Jatmiko, E. Wahyu Saptomo and Rokus Awe Due from the National Archaeology Research Institute (ARKENAS), Indonesia, presents more diversity in the genus Homo. “Immediately, my fever vanished. I couldn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t wait for sunrise. In the early morning we went to the site, and when we arrived in the cave, I didn’t say a thing because both my mind and heart couldn’t handle this incredible moment. I just went down...

Dlium