Rhododendron kuomeianum(Ericaceae),a new species from northeastern Yunnan(China),based on morphological and genomic data

Rhododendron kuomeianum Y.H.Chang,J.Nielsen&Y.P.Ma,a new species of Rhododendron(Ericaceae)within subsect.Maddenia in sect.Rhododendron from Yiliang County,NE Yunnan,China,is described and illustrated.The new species is similar to R.valentinianum,but it can be easily distinguished by its sparse scales on the abaxial surface of the leaf blade,fewer flowers per inflorescence and white corolla with pale red margins.There are also differences in the widths of calyx lobes,leaf blade shape and indumentum characteristics of the petiole between the new species and Rhododendron linearilobum.We confirmed that R.kuomeianum is a new species closely related to R.valentinianum and R.changii with phylogenomic studies of 10 species within this subsection based on restriction site-associated DNA sequencing(RADseq)data.These phylogenomic analyses also clarified additional taxonomic problems in this subsection previously raised by morphological analysis.Our findings make a strong case for using next-generation sequencing to explore phylogenetic relationships and identify new species,especially in plants groups with complicated taxonomic problems.

Does the critically endangered Rhododendron amesiae deserve top priority for conservation?

The genus Rhododendron is the largest genus of woody plants in China,having extremely important horticultural value(Chamberlain et al.,1996).However,efforts have only recently been made to assess the conservation status of the genus.According to conservation category assessments on the Red List of Rhododendrons(Gibbs et al.,2011)and the Threatened Species List of China's Higher Plants(Qin et al.,2017),32.03%and 17.13%of rhododendrons are evaluated to be threatened.