Figure 1 - uploaded by Yang Bin
Content may be subject to copyright.
Agapetes oligodonta sp. nov. (a) Habit, (b) swollen stem base, (c) leafy branches, (d) flowering branch, (e) flower with corolla and stamens removed, (f ) androecium and adaxial (left), abaxial (middle) and lateral (right) view of a stamen, (g) disk and calyx, (h) cross section of ovary, (i) fruiting branches, (j) young fruit, lateral view. Scale bars: (e) 6 mm; (f-h) 3 mm. Photos (a-h) by Y. H. Tong, (i, j) by B. Yang.
Source publication
We provide novel taxonomic information for Agapetes (Ericaceae) from Myanmar, describe the new species A. oligodonta, provide a supplemental description of the floral morphology of A. epacridea, and raise A. odontocera var. stenosepala to the rank of species. Line illustrations and photographs of living plants of A. oligodonta and A. epacridea are...
Citations
... However, the morphology of the leaf blade and the shorter pedicels are very different. After a detailed examination of the morphological characters of our material and similar species (Airy Shaw, 1935Shaw, , 1948Shaw, , 1958Tong et al., 2022), we concluded that the plant represents a species new to science, and is described and illustrated here. Diagnosis: Agapetes lihengiana is morphologically similar to A. epacridea and A. trianguli in having spirally alternate leaves no more than 1.5cm long and 1cm wide, and branchlets densely covered with spreading setae, but can be clearly distinguished from the former by its leaf blade with an acute or apiculate apex (vs. ...
Agapetes lihengiana Bin Yang & Y.H.Tan (Ericaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to Yunnan, China. It is morphologically similar to A. epacridea Airy Shaw and A. trianguli Airy Shaw, but clearly differs in having flowers with shorter pedicel and white corolla with 5 vertical pink stripes, and conspicuous secondary veins on the abaxial surface of leaf blades. A detailed description, colour plates, and notes on the new species are provided.
Premise of the study:
Floral evolution in large clades is difficult to study not only because of the number of species involved, but also because they often are geographically widespread and include a diversity of outcrossing pollination systems. The cosmopolitan blueberry family (Ericaceae) is one such example, most notably pollinated by bees and multiple clades of nectarivorous birds.
Methods:
We combined data on floral traits, pollination ecology, and geography with a comprehensive phylogeny to examine the structuring of floral diversity across pollination systems and continents. We focused on ornithophilous systems to test the hypothesis that some Old World Ericaceae were pollinated by now-extinct hummingbirds.
Key results:
Despite some support for floral differentiation at a continental scale, we found a large amount of variability within and among landmasses, due to both phylogenetic conservatism and parallel evolution. We found support for floral differentiation in anther and corolla traits across pollination systems, including among different ornithophilous systems. Corolla traits show inconclusive evidence that some Old World Ericaceae were pollinated by hummingbirds, while anther traits show stronger evidence. Some major shifts in floral traits are associated with changes in pollination system, but shifts within bee systems are likely also important.
Conclusions:
Studying the floral evolution of large, morphologically diverse, and widespread clades is feasible. We demonstrate that continent-specific radiations have led to widespread parallel evolution of floral morphology. We show that traits outside of the perianth may hold important clues to the ecological history of lineages. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A specimen of Agapetes from Myanmar is described and illustrated as Agapetes grandiflora Hook.f., as a result of comparison with A. burmanica W.E.Evans, A. macrantha (Hook.) Hook.f. and A. variegata (Roxb.) D.Don ex G.Don. This species has extrafloral nectaries on the margins of young leaves and at the apex of calyx lobes.
Agapetes huangiana Bin Yang, Y.H.Tan & Y.H.Tong (Ericaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to Xizang, China. It is morphologically similar to A. guangxiensis D. Fang and A. epacridea Airy Shaw, but clearly differs in having thinly leathery leaf blades with verrucose-scabrid trichomes abaxially, shorter pedicel, and densely white-puberulent calyx and corolla.
