241
Two new species, one new eco d, and one new synonym o
Aeschynan hus (Gesne iaceae) om China
Lie-Wen Lin1,2 , Li-Yan Wang3, Yong-Jie Guo2,4 , Lei Cai1
1 Yunnan Key Labo a o y o In eg a i e Conse a ion o Plan Species wi h Ex emely Small Popula ions, S a e Key Labo a o y o Plan Di e si y and Special y
C ops, Kunming Ins i u e o Bo any, Chinese Academy o Sciences, CN-650201, Kunming, Yunnan, China
2 Kunming College o Li e Science, Uni e si y o Chinese Academy o Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
3 Yingjiang B anch o Yunnan Tongbiguan P o incial Na u e Rese e Adminis a ion, Yingjiang 676299, Yunnan, China
4 Ge mplasm Bank o Wild Species, Kunming Ins i u e o Bo any, Chinese Academy o Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
Co esponding au ho : Lei Cai ([email p o ec ed])
Copy igh : © Lie-Wen Lin e al.
This is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde
e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion
License (A ibu ion 4.0 In e na ional – CC BY 4.0).
Resea ch A icle
Abs ac
Sou hwes China is a biodi e si y ho spo , wi h nume ous new Gesne iaceae species
ecen ly disco e ed he e. Recen epo s o new Aeschynan hus axa and eco ds om
wes e n Yunnan and adjacen a eas unde sco e he egion’s con inued po en ial o
e ealing undesc ibed di e si y. Based on ield su eys conduc ed in Yunnan and Xizang,
Sou hwes China, wo new species o Aeschynan hus a e desc ibed: A. succineus Lei Cai
& L.W. Lin and A. ongbiguanensis Lei Cai & L.W. Lin. We also epo a new na ional
eco d o China, A. jouyi D.J. Middle on, p e iously conside ed endemic o Vie nam.
Fu he mo e, we p opose ha A. maoi Deb a & A. Shenoy should be educed o synonymy
unde A. wa dii, based on a c i ical assessmen o he li e a u e, ield obse a ions o
li ing plan s, and examina ion o he ba ium specimens. Desc ip ions and illus a ions
o he diagnos ic cha ac e s a e p o ided o hese species, oge he wi h in o ma ion
on hei ypes.
Key wo ds: Aeschynan hus, Flo a o China, new synonym, new axon
In oduc ion
Sou hwes e n China, encompassing he p o inces o Yunnan and Xizang
(Tibe ), lies wi hin he Indo-Bu ma Biodi e si y Ho spo —one o he wo ld’s
mos biologically signi ican egions (B ooks e al. 2006; Basne e al. 2019).
As a bo anical cen e , i ha bo s lo a spanning opical, sub opical, empe -
a e, and alpine zones, making i a c i ical ese oi o ascula plan di e si y
(Zhang e al. 2002; Yang e al. 2004). The egion also unc ions as a majo bio-
geog aphic ansi ion zone, whe e he Sino-Himalayan, Sou heas Asian, and
Eas Asian lo as con e ge. Le els o endemism a e excep ionally high, wi h
many species con ined o na ow habi a s such as limes one ka s s, deep
i e alleys, and mon ane o es s. This ecological and e olu iona y complex-
i y has made sou hwes e n China a ocal poin o bo anical esea ch, wi h
Academic edi o : Ebe ha d Fische
Recei ed:
31 July 2025
Accep ed:
28 Sep embe 2025
Published:
4 No embe 2025
Ci a ion: Lin L-W, Wang L-Y, Guo Y-J,
Cai L (2025) Two new species, one
new eco d, and one new synonym
o Aeschynan hus (Gesne iaceae)
om China. Phy oKeys 265:
241–255. h ps://doi.o g/10.3897/
phy okeys.265.167339
Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025)
DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
242
Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
nume ous new axa o Gesne iaceae desc ibed in ecen yea s. I s ugged
opog aphy and di e se hyd o he mal condi ions gene a e a weal h o mic o-
habi a s, p o iding ideal en i onmen s o he di e si ica ion and pe sis ence
o Gesne iaceae (e.g., Cai e al. 2019, 2020; Yang e al. 2019; Wang e al.
2022; Qin e al. 2023; Ding e al. 2024).
A no able example is he genus Aeschynan hus Jack, a g oup o e e -
g een, epiphy ic, o li hophy ic plan s in he amily Gesne iaceae. Species
o Aeschynan hus ypically g ow on ees o ocks in mois , shaded o es s,
h i ing unde condi ions o high humidi y. Many a e cha ac e ized by ail-
ing o pendulous s ems wi h o en lea he y lea es, and mos p oduce ubu-
la , b igh ly colo ed lowe s—usually ed o o ange—adap ed o bi d pollina-
ion. Fo example, A. acumina us is p ima ily pollina ed by gene alis bi ds
(Chen e al. 2019). Beyond hei ecological oles, se e al species a e widely
cul i a ed as o namen al houseplan s, and some a e also used in adi ional
olk medicine (Li e al. 2006). The genus comp ises oughly 200 species
dis ibu ed mainly ac oss opical and sub opical Asia, anging om he Hi-
malayas and Indochina Peninsula o New Guinea and he Solomon Islands
(Wang e al. 1990, 1998; Middle on 2009, 2016). In China, 36 species ha e
been documen ed (Wen e al. 2023), wi h mo e han 30 occu ing in he bo -
de egions o sou hwes e n China, unde sco ing he a ea’s impo ance as a
cen e o di e si y o he genus (Wang e al. 1990, 1998; Li and Wang 2005).
In ecen yea s, se e al new axa and eco ds o Aeschynan hus ha e been
epo ed om wes e n Yunnan, sou heas e n Xizang, and adjacen a eas
(e.g., Li e al. 2020; Qin e al. 2023; Ding e al. 2024; Deb a e al. 2024; Dey
e al. 2025), sugges ing ha his egion emains a p omising on ie o he
disco e y o undesc ibed species.
Du ing ecen ield in es iga ions in he Gaoligong Moun ains and adjacen
a eas along he China–Myanma bo de in Yunnan, China, we iden i ied wo
dis inc i e species o Aeschynan hus. Compa ison wi h na ional lo as and
ele an li e a u e con i med ha hese ep esen p e iously undesc ibed
axa, which a e de ailed below. In addi ion, based on ou collec ions and
ield obse a ions in wes e n Yunnan, we p opose ha he ecen ly published
A. maoi should be educed o synonymy unde A. wa dii. We also collec ed
he showy species A. jouyi in he ka s egion o sou heas e n Yunnan, a ax-
on p e iously ega ded as endemic o Vie nam. Acco dingly, we desc ibe wo
new species om China, epo one new na ional eco d, and p opose a new
synonym unde A. wa dii.
Ma e ials and me hods
Specimens o Aeschynan hus we e collec ed du ing ex ensi e ield su eys
conduc ed be ween 2015 and 2025 in a ious loca ions in Yunnan, including
Gaoligong Moun ain Na ional Na u e Rese e, Laoshan P o incial Na u e Re-
se e, and Tongbiguan P o incial Na u e Rese e. The ollowing desc ip ions
a e based on bo h li ing collec ions and ype specimens. We also examined
ma e ial o Aeschynan hus, including digi al images o specimens om 15
he ba ia (PE, HITBC, KUN, IBSC, GXMG, IBK, GXMI, SZG, WUK, NAS, E, NY, P, K,
BM) (Thie s 2025). Type specimens a e deposi ed a KUN (He ba ium o he
Kunming Ins i u e o Bo any, Chinese Academy o Sciences).
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Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Taxonomic ea men
Aeschynan hus succineus Lei Cai & L.W.Lin, sp. no .
u n:lsid:ipni.o g:names:77371482-1
Fig. 1
Diagnosis. Aeschynan hus succineus esembles A. sinolongicalyx and A. longicaulis
in ha ing pale g een ein pa e ns on he lea es bu can be dis inguished by ha ing
longe ubula e lowe s (35–45 mm s 20.5–31 mm), used calyx, and pseudo e -
minal cymes ( s soli a y lowe in lea axils in A. sinolongicalyx and A. longicaulis).
Mos impo an ly, his new species can be dis inguished om o he s by he dense
pale-pu ple pubescence on he uppe pa o i s s yle (Table 1).
Type. China • Yunnan P o ince, in oduced om sou hwes e n Yunnan
(cul i a ed in Kunming Bo anical Ga den on 20 June, 2016, in oduc ion code:
KBG2017062005), in lowe , 22 Sep embe 2020, Cai Lei CL2020092201
(Holo ype: KUN!; Iso ype: KUN! IBK!).
Desc ip ion. Epiphy ic sub-sh ubs, pendulous and b anched. S em gla-
b ous, g een, cylind ical. Lea es opposi e; pe iole 3–8 mm long, glab ous;
lea blade lea he y, o a e o nea ly lanceola e, 45–55 × 25–35 mm, weakly
den a e a ma gins, glab ous on bo h sides, adaxial su ace da k g een wi h
pale g een ein pa e ns, abaxial su ace pale g een wi h pale ed pa e ns.
Cymes pseudo e minal, 2–11 lowe s; pedicel glab ous, 6–15 mm long;
b ac s glab ous, 6–12 mm long, lanceola e. Calyx glab ous, g eenish yellow
o g eenish ed, 5-lobed, 16–22 × 4–6 mm, na owly lanceola e, apex acu e,
ma gin en i e, lobes used in o calyx ube (5–6 mm) a he base. Co olla
35–45 mm long, ubula , s ongly oblique mou h, in la ed a middle, ex e -
nally yellow o o ange, wi h 5 da k lines om he middle o co olla ube
o he op o he lobes, glab ous o spa sely sho -pubescen ou side, wi h
long pu plish- ed illous hai s obus hai s a he base o he co olla ube
inside; lobes ca. 7 mm long, o ange wi h pu plish ed spo s a ma gin, apex
ounded. S amens 4, exse ed; s aminode ca. 1 mm long; an he s oblong,
hecae pa allel, pollen b igh yellow. Filamen s glab ous, c eam whi e a he
base, g adually changing o pu plish ed om he cen e o he op; an e io
ilamen s 30–35 mm long, pos e io ilamen s 22–28 mm long. Pis il 10–
20 mm long, yellowish g een, dense pale-pu ple pubescence on he uppe
pa ; o a y ca. 8 mm long, glab ous. F ui and seed no obse ed.
Table 1. Mo phological compa ison o Aeschynan hus succineus sp. no ., A. sinolongicalyx,
and A. longicaulis (Wang e al. 1990; Middle on 2009).
A. succineus A. sinolongicalyx A. longicaulis
In lo escence cymes pseudo e minal,
2–11 lowe s
cymes axilla y, 1–3
lowe s
cymes pseudo e minal,
1–3 lowe s
Co olla 35–45 mm, yellow and
o ange
24–28 mm, ed,
yellow a base
20.5–31 mm, yellow-g een
Calyx 16–22 mm, lobes used
below middle
25–35 mm, 5-lobed
om base
8–18 mm, 5-lobed om
base
Pis il densely pubescen on
he uppe pa
spa sely pubescen spa sely pubescen
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Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Figu e 1. Aeschynan hus succineus Lei Cai & L.W. Lin, sp. no . A. Flowe ing plan ; B. Lea su aces; C. Flowe in side iew;
D. Flowe , abaxial side; E. Opened co olla; F. Calyx, o a y, and pis il; G. Close-up o pis il. Scale ba s: 1 cm (pho og aphed
by Cai Lei).
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Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Phenology. Flowe s om Sep embe o Oc obe .
Dis ibu ion and habi a . Acco ding o he in o ma ion p o ided by he cul-
i a ion s a , Aeschynan hus succineus is cu en ly known only om ma e ial
in oduced om sou hwes e n Yunnan and wi hou de ailed collec ed in o ma-
ion. A p esen , his species is g owing well on ee unks in g eenhouses o
Kunming Bo anical Ga den.
E ymology. This species bea s wa m- oned lowe s anging om yellow
o o ange, esembling ambe in colo . The speci ic epi he ‘succineus’ (La in
succinum, ‘ambe ’) e lec s his dis inc i e hue.
Ve nacula name. 琥珀芒毛苣苔 Hu Po Mang Mao Ju Tai.
No es. This species was desc ibed based on cul i a ed ma e ial in oduced
o a bo anical ga den, and no wild popula ions ha e ye been disco e ed. I s
p ecise dis ibu ion ange and popula ion size emain unknown; he e o e, i s
conse a ion s a us is assessed as Da a De icien (DD).
Aeschynan hus ongbiguanensis Lei Cai & L.W.Lin, sp. no .
u n:lsid:ipni.o g:names:77371483-1
Fig. 2
Diagnosis. This new species can be dis inguished om Aeschynan hus
ubulosus by i s much smalle lowe s (13–18 mm s 30–35 mm) and lea es,
along wi h lanuginose new shoo s ( s pubescen young s ems in A. ubulosus).
Addi ionally, he glandula o a y and pis il, oge he wi h he included s amens
and s igma o A. ongbiguanensis, a e absen in o he sh ub-like Aeschynan-
hus species in he egion (such as A. buxi olius, A. ande sonii, and A. humilis).
Mo eo e , he lowe phenology o A. ongbiguanensis does no o e lap wi h
hese o he species (Table 2).
Type. China • Yunnan P o ince, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Au onomous
P e ec u e, Yingjiang Coun y, Tongbiguan own, Bangge ong, 24°36'16.55"N,
97°39'02.74"E, ca. 1298 m, 20 Dec 2024 ( l.), Cai Lei & Wang Li-Yan CL622
(holo ype: KUN!; iso ypes: KUN! IBK!).
Table 2. Mo phological compa ison o Aeschynan hus ongbiguanensis sp. no ., A. ubulosus,
and A. humilis (Wang e al. 1990; Middle on 2009).
A. ongbiguanensis A. ubulosus A. humilis
Lea blade oblanceola e o
spa ula e
ellip ic o o a e oblanceola e o
spa ula e
In lo escence cymes pseudo e minal,
1–3- lowe ed
cymes axilla y,
1- lowe ed
cymes pseudo e minal,
1–4- lowe ed
Co olla 13–18 mm, ou side
glandula
30–35 mm, ou side
glab ous
15–28 mm, ou side
spa sely pube ulen
Calyx 6–8 mm, ou side
glandula
5–9 mm, ou side
glab ous
1–4.2 mm, ou side
pube ulen
Pis il included, glandula exse ed, glab ous exse ed, pube ulen
S amens included, nea ly equal exse ed, s ongly
dimo phic
exse ed, s ongly
dimo phic
Flowe phenology Dec–Feb Ma ch Sep –Oc
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Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Figu e 2. Aeschynan hus ongbiguanensis Lei Cai & L.W. Lin, sp. no . A. Flowe ing plan ; B. Young shoo ; C. Flowe in side iew;
D. Opened co olla; E. Calyx, o a y, and pis il; F. Close-up o pis il. Scale ba s: 1 cm (pho og aphed by Cai Lei and Lin Lie Wen).
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Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Desc ip ion. Epiphy ic small sh ubs, e ec and b anched. Young s em g een,
lanuginose; he second-yea b anches b own, manica e. Lea es opposi e o
3- e icilla e; pe iole ca. 3 mm long; lea blade lea he y, oblanceola e o spa u-
la e, 7–25 mm × 6–12 mm, weakly den a e a ma gins, spa sely cilia e, adaxial
su ace g een, abaxial su ace pale g een, glab ous on bo h su aces, la e al
eins obscu e. Cymes pseudo e minal, 1–3 lowe s; pedicel, calyx, abaxial
pe al su ace, o a y, and s yle a e all co e ed wi h da k glandula ichomes;
pedicel 8–15 mm, g eenish yellow wi h pu plish spo s; calyx g eenish yellow,
6–8 mm, 5-lobed om below middle, na owly lanceola e, apex acu e. Co olla
13–18 mm long, ubula , s ongly oblique mou h, in la ed a middle, ex e nally
ed o eddish o ange, abaxial su ace o ange-yellow, en i ely glab ous excep
o spa sely papillae nea base, wi h pu plish ed spo s a ma gin; lobes ca.
3 mm long, e ec , nei he e lexed no sp eading, apex ounded. S amens and
s igma included. S amens 4, s aminode ca. 1 mm long; an he s oblong, pollen
pale yellow. Filamen s nea ly equal, glab ous, c eamy yellow a he base, g ad-
ually changing o pu plish ed a he op. Pis il ca. 5 mm long, yellowish g een;
o a y 6–8 mm long. F ui and seed no obse ed.
Phenology. Flowe s om Decembe o Feb ua y ( he ollowing yea ).
Dis ibu ion and habi a . A p esen , Aeschynan hus ongbiguanensis is
known only om i s ype locali y in Tongbiguan, Yingjiang Coun y, China, whe e
i g ows on ee unks in e e g een o es s a an ele a ion o ca. 1300 m.
E ymology. The speci ic epi he ‘ ongbiguanensis’ e e s o he ype locali y
whe e he new species was ound, Tongbiguan Township, Yingjiang Coun y,
Yunnan P o ince, China.
Ve nacula name. 铜壁关芒毛苣苔 Tong Bi Guan Mang Mao Ju Tai.
No es. Two epiphy ic, sh ub-like Aeschynan hus species we e collec ed om
adjacen si es in Tongbiguan Town, Yunnan P o ince, China. We con i med one
as he known species Aeschynan hus ubulosus (Fig. 3), while he o he ep-
esen s a p e iously undesc ibed species, which we o mally desc ibe he e as
Aeschynan hus ongbiguanensis. Cu en ly, only abou a dozen indi iduals ha e
been obse ed on a ew ees, wi h he o e all popula ion s a us emaining
unclea . The e o e, i s conse a ion s a us is assessed as Da a De icien (DD).
New eco ds o China
Aeschynan hus jouyi D.J.Middle on
Fig. 4
Aeschynan hus jouyi D.J.Middle on, Edinb. J. Bo . 66 (3): 417. 2009.
Type. Vie nam • Lao Cai, Van Ban Dis ic , Liem Phu, Hoang Lien Moun ain
Range, Ta Xa Moun ain close o he Nam Qua Ri e , No he n Vie nam Fi s
Da win Expedi ion, #105 (holo ype: E [ba code E00294857]; iso ype: P [ba code
P00697843]).
Dis ibu ion and habi a . In China, Aeschynan hus jouyi is ound in Malipo
Coun y, Yunnan, whe e i g ows on ees in b oad-lea ed o es s a 800–
1000 m nea he Sino–Vie nam bo de . I is also dis ibu ed in mon ane o es s
o no he n Vie nam a 450–1500 m.
Ve nacula name. 中越芒毛苣苔 Zhong Yue Mang Mao Ju Tai.
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Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Figu e 3. Aeschynan hus ubulosus J. An hony. A. Flowe ing plan ; B. Lea su aces; C. Flowe in side iew; D. Opened
co olla; E. Calyx, o a y, and pis il; F. F ui . Scale ba s: 1 cm (pho og aphed by Cai Lei and Lin Lie Wen).
249
Phy oKeys 265: 241–255 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phy okeys.265.167339
Lie-Wen Lin e al.: Two new species, one new eco d and one new synonym o Aeschynan hus om China
Figu e 4. Aeschynan hus jouyi D.J. Middle on. A. Flowe ing plan ; B. Lea su aces; C. Flowe in on iew; D. Flowe in
side iew; E. Opened co olla; F. Calyx, o a y, and pis il. Scale ba s: 1 cm (pho og aphed by Cai Lei and Lin Lie Wen).
