Actinostephanus (Gesneriaceae), a new genus and species from Guangdong, South China Author Wen, Fang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3889-8835 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China & Gesneriad Committee of China Wild Plant Conservation Association, National Gesneriaceae Germplasm Bank of GXIB, Gesneriad Conservation Center of China (GCCC), Guilin Botanical Garden, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China Author Xin, Zi-Bing https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0062-6930 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China & Gesneriad Committee of China Wild Plant Conservation Association, National Gesneriaceae Germplasm Bank of GXIB, Gesneriad Conservation Center of China (GCCC), Guilin Botanical Garden, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China Author Hong, Xin School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, CN- 230601, Anhui Province, China Author Cai, Lei https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9251-2745 Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 650201, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China & Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 650201, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China Author Chen, Xiao-Yun Management Office, Guangdong Enping Qixingkeng Provincial Nature Reserve, CN- 529400, Enping, China Author Liang, Jun-Jie Management Office, Guangdong Enping Qixingkeng Provincial Nature Reserve, CN- 529400, Enping, China Author Wang, Hui-Feng Guangzhou Linfang Ecology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, CN- 510520, Guangdong Province, China Author Maciejewski, Stephen The Gesneriad Society, 2030 Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA. 19146 - 1333 USA Author Wei, Yi-Gang Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China & Gesneriad Committee of China Wild Plant Conservation Association, National Gesneriaceae Germplasm Bank of GXIB, Gesneriad Conservation Center of China (GCCC), Guilin Botanical Garden, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China weiyigang@aliyun.com Author Fu, Long-Fei https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8708-4718 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China & Gesneriad Committee of China Wild Plant Conservation Association, National Gesneriaceae Germplasm Bank of GXIB, Gesneriad Conservation Center of China (GCCC), Guilin Botanical Garden, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, CN- 541006 Guilin, China longfeifu@126.com text PhytoKeys 2022 2022-03-22 193 89 106 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.193.80715 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.193.80715 1314-2003-193-89 FDCE9F5EE94E52C59194A61D46C5BD83 Actinostephanus F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & L.F.Fu gen. nov. Diagnosis. Actinostephanus F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & L.F.Fu resembles two small genera, Boeica C.B.Clarke and Leptoboea Benth. according to the molecular evidence and some morphological data, but differs from the latter two by the following distinguishing characters: leaves in whorls of three, all closely clustered at the top; corolla bowl-shaped, 5-lobed, actinomorphic; capsule hard, oblong-ovoid, short, 3-4 mm long, densely appressed villous, wrapped by persistent densely pubescent calyx lobes, style persistent. The detailed distinguishing characters of this new genus and its congeners are listed in Table 1 . Type and only known species. Actinostephanus enpingensis F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & Z.B.Xin, sp. nov. Description. Herbs, perennial, acaulescent, or forming elongated rhizome slightly fleshy growing after some years, rhizomes cylindrical, surface densely brown pubescent, fibrous root filiform, forming adventitious buds and plantlets in the middle or at the end of the fibrous root. Leaves all basal, whorls of three, sometimes opposite, all closely clustered at the top, forming a rosette, or clustered forming a rosette at the top of the rhizome after years of growth. Leaf-blades obovate elliptic, asymmetric, rarely symmetric, attenuate to base and base usually oblique, rarely aequilateral. Bracts 2. Calyx actinomorphic, 5-parted to the base. Corolla actinomorphic, bowl-shaped; tube very short, shallow bowl-shaped; limb quinquelobate, lobes equal. Stamens 4, separated, anthers dorsifixed, free, dehiscing longitudinally. Disc glabrous, margin crenulate. Ovary conical, stigma punctate. Capsule oblong-ovoid, appressed villous, wrapped by persistent calyx lobes, and the abaxial surfaces of calyx lobes covered densely pubescent. The number of seeds per capsule fewer. Seeds bigger, elliptic, both ends pointed. Etymology. The genus name, " Actinostephanus ", consists of two parts, both derived from the Greek. The front part, " Actino -" is derived from ἀκτῑ ́ς (aktῑ́s, "ray, beam"), means radiating; the latter half, "- stephanus ", is derived from Στέφανος ( Stephanos , "crown" ), is also closely associated in ᾰ ̓́νθος ( anthos , "flower, blossom, bloom"), hints corolla. The combined Greek word-roots characterize the uncommon corolla characteristic of the new genus and species. The character of the corolla, in China's Gesneriaceae , is rare. Only three species belonging to two genera were known to have actinoform corolla in China, namely Bournea sinensis Oliv., B. leiophylla (W.T.Wang) W.T.Wang & K.Y.Pan ex W.T.Wang and Oreocharis esquirolii H. Lev . before this new genus was discovered. Vernacular name of the new genus. Chinese mandarin: Fu Guan Ju Tai Shǔ (辐冠苣苔属). Distribution and habitat. Endemic to Enping county, Guangdong province, China, under evergreen broadleaved forests in a montane mountain yellow soil area at 170-250 m altitude.