Gnetum chinense, a new species of Gnetaceae from southwestern China Author Jin, Wei-Yin State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China & Tonghua Normal University, 950 Yucai Road, Dongchang District, Tonghua City, Jilin Province 134000, China Author Liu, Bing State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6086-253X Author Zhang, Shou-Zhou Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen, China Author Wan, Tao Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen, China Author Hou, Chen Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China & Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8558-5655 Author Yang, Yong State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China ephedra@ibcas.ac.cn text PhytoKeys 2020 148 105 117 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.148.48510 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.148.48510 1314-2003-148-105 0BD2F62B990C5B46ACDBCDD9A9EA6489 Gnetum chinense Y. Yang, Bing Liu & S.Z. Zhang sp. nov. Figs 3 , 4 Type. China. Yunnan: Cang-yuan County, on the way from Ban-hong to Ban-lao Prefecture, forest margin, male cones, March 31st, 2015, B. Liu, Y. Yang & T.W. Xiao 2627 (PE, holotype). Figure 3. Map displaying the distribution of Gnetum chinense sp. nov. (black squares). Diagnosis. This species is similar to G. montanum in its oblong elliptic leaves and subsessile chlamydosperm, but differs from the latter by its shorter male cones (1-1.5 cm long in the new species vs. 2-3 cm in G. montanum ) having fewer involucral collars (7-10 in the new species vs. 13-18 in G. montanum ), nearly sessile or extremely shortly stiped chlamydosperms (vs. markedly stiped, stipes 3-5 mm long in G. montanum ). Description. Lianas; twigs terete, dichasially branched having swollen nodes. Leaves opposite (Fig. 4a ), oblong to elliptic, 11-16 cm long, 4-8 cm wide, base rotund to acute, apex acute to acuminate, pinnately veined, midvein impressed adaxially and elevated abaxially, lateral veins 6-8 (Fig. 4a ), more or less elevated on both sides, petioles 1-1.2 cm long, grooved adaxially. Male reproductive shoots terminal, dichasial, branched once or twice (Fig. 4a ). Male cones pedunculate, peduncles 2-10 mm long; cylindric, ca. 10-15 mm long, 4 mm in diam., involucral collars 8-10 (Fig. 4b ). Chlamydosperms ellipsoid to subglobose, ca. 2.2 cm long, 1.4 cm in diam., apex obtuse, base contracted into an extremely short stalk or subsessile, green when young, and orange when mature (Fig. 4c ). Figure 4. Gnetum chinense sp. nov. A branch bearing male cones B male cones C female cone portion displaying chlamydosperm morphology. Distribution. In Yunnan and Guizhou provinces of China (Fig. 3 ). Habitats. In evergreen tropical and subtropical forests. Etymology. The specific epithet ' chinense ' is derived from China. Phenology. Blooming male cones and mature chlamydosperms were found in late May and early November, respectively. Conservation. Gnetum chinense is common in evergreen forests in Yunnan and Guizhou. We consider this species to be of Least Concern (LC) under the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ver. 3.1 second edition ( IUCN 2012 ). Specimens examined. China. Yunnan: Lan-cang Lahuzu Autonomous County, from Shang-yun to Xi-meng, Apr. 2, 2015, B. Liu, Y. Yang & T.W. Xiao 2675 (PE); Jiang-cheng County, Qu-shui Prefecture, Apr. 18, 2015, B. Liu 3045 (PE); Ma-li-po County, March 15-17, 2015, T. Wan MLP001, MLP002, MLP003, MLP 005 (PE); Ma-li-po County, Xia-jin-chang Prefecture, Li-jia-wan, May 27, 2011, B. Liu 1360 (PE); Ma-li-po County, Xia-jin-chang Prefecture, Li-jia-wan, Sept. 24, 2011, B. Liu 1441 (PE); Ma-li-po County, Xia-jin-chang Prefecture, Li-jia-wan, Nov. 2, 2012, B. Liu 1725 (PE). Guizhou: unknown collection date, C.Y. Deng CYD12466 (PE).