Gastrochilusbalangshanensis (Orchidaceae, Aeridinae), a new subalpine epiphytic orchid from the Mountains of Southwest China

Jun-Yi Zhang; Yue-Hong Cheng; Min Liao; Sen-Long Jin; Hong-Qiang Lin; Pan-Yan Yang; Hai He; Bo Xu

doi:10.3897/phytokeys.247.130755

Gastrochilusbalangshanensis (Orchidaceae, Aeridinae), a new subalpine epiphytic orchid from the Mountains of Southwest China

PhytoKeys. 2024 Oct 11:247:123-135. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.247.130755. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Jun-Yi Zhang^{1

2}, Yue-Hong Cheng³, Min Liao¹, Sen-Long Jin³, Hong-Qiang Lin³, Pan-Yan Yang³, Hai He⁴, Bo Xu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Chengdu China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10049, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China.
³ Wolong National Natural Reserve Administration Bureau, Wenchuan 623006, Sichuan, China Wolong National Natural Reserve Administration Bureau Wenchuan China.
⁴ College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China Chongqing Normal University Chongqing China.

Abstract

Gastrochilusbalangshanensis, a new orchid species from the Balang Mountain, Sichuan Province, Southwest China, is described and illustrated. It morphologically resembles G.affinis, but differs in having shorter stems, a reniform epichile and a sub-hemispherical hypochile (spur), obtuse-rounded at the apex. The results of molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and four chloroplast DNA markers (matK, psbA-trnH, psbM-trnD and trnL-F) from 50 Gastrochilus species indicate that G.balangshanensis is closely related to G.heminii and G.bernhardtianus, also endemic to the Hengduan Mountains. The novelty is a branch and trunk epiphyte in mixed coniferous forest.

Keywords: Hengduan Mountains; Sichuan; Vandeae; new species; phylogeny.

Jun-Yi Zhang, Yue-Hong Cheng, Min Liao, Sen-Long Jin, Hong-Qiang Lin, Pan-Yan Yang, Hai He, Bo Xu.

Grants and funding

Our work was funded by the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (Grant No. 2024NSFSC1325), the 2024 subsidy funds for field rescue and artificial breeding of rare and endangered species, the 2024 central government's forest and grass transfer payment for national park subsidies.