Primulina argentea (Gesneriaceae), a new species endemic to a karst cave in N Guangdong, S China

Abstract

Primulina argentea Xin Hong, F. Wen & S. B. Zhou, sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) is described and illustrated from N Guangdong Province, S China. It is morphologically close to P. fengshanensis F. Wen & Yue Wang and P. orthandra (W. T. Wang) Mich. Möller & A. Weber, but is differentiated from its congeners by several characters of the shape, texture and indumentum of the leaf blade and bracts, length of pedicels, size of calyx lobes, colour of corolla, indumentums of staminodes, etc. A description of P. argentea together with illustrations, distribution map, habitat description and a diagnostic comparative table with P. fengshanensis and P. orthandra are presented.