Abstract
Eight new fern species of Polystichum subg. Haplopolystichum (Dryopteridaceae) are described and illustrated from Guangdong and Yunnan provinces, southern and southwestern China, respectively. These eight species include P. deltatum, P. gejiuense, P. malipoense, P. oblongipinnarum, P. pingbianense, P. rectum, and P. superum from Yunnan, and P. hanmengqii from Guangdong. Four of the eight species are described from high elevations (around 2000 m) demonstrating that the limestone areas at high elevations in subtropical areas are species-rich and deserve special conservation attention. All eight species are so far known only from single caves; they are all classified as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN Red List criteria.
References
<p class="Reference">Aedo, C. (2016) Taxonomic revision of <em>Geranium</em> sect. <em>Polyantha</em> (Geraniaceae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 101: 611–635.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2015033</p><p class="Reference">Aedo, C. (2017) Taxonomic revision of <em>Geranium</em> sect. <em>Ruberta</em> and <em>Unguiculata</em> (Geraniaceae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 102: 409–465.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/D-16-00016A</p><p class="Reference">Alejandro, G.J.D., Meve, U. & Liede-Schumann, S. (2016) A taxonomic revision of Philippine <em>Mussaenda</em> (Rubiaceae, Mussaendeae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 101: 457–524.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2010089</p><p class="Reference">Don, D. (1839) VIII. Description of two new genera of the natural family of plants called Coniferae. <em>Transactions of the Linnean Society of London</em> 18: 161–177.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1838.tb00169.x</p><p class="Reference">Duan, Y.-F., Hennequin, S., Rouhan, G., Bassuner, B. & Zhang, L.-B. (2017) A taxonomic revision of the fern genus <em>Ctenitis</em> (Dryopteridaceae) from Africa and the western Indian Ocean. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 102: 3–86.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2016024</p><p class="Reference">Han, M.-Q., Liu, Y. & Zhang, L.-B. (2016) Seven new species of <em>Polystichum</em> (subg. <em>Haplopolystichum</em>; Dryopteridaceae) from southern China. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 280 (3): 201–221.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.280.3.1</p><p class="Reference">IUCN (2015) <em>The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species</em>, version 2015-3. IUCN Red List Unit, Cambridge U.K. Available from: <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf</span></a> (accessed 15 August 2018)</p><p class="Reference">Kolanowska, M. & Szlachetko, D.L. (2017) Synopsis of the genus <em>Pterichis</em> (Orchidaceae) in Colombia. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 102: 87–124.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2013032</p><p class="Reference">Kung, H.-S., Chu, W.-M., He, Z.-R. & Zhang, L.-B. (2001) <em>Polystichum</em>. <em>In</em>: Wu, C.-Y. (Ed.) <em>Flora of reipublicae popularis sinicae</em>. Volume 5(2), edited by Kung, H.-S. Beijing, Science Press, pp. 1–246.</p><p class="Reference">Linnaeus, C. von f. (1782) <em>Supplementum Plantarum</em>. Orphanotrophe, Brunswig, 468 pp.</p><p class="Reference">Lucas, E., Wilson, C.E., Lima, E.F., Sobral, M. & Matsumoto, K. (2016) A conspectus of <em>Myrcia</em> sect. <em>Aulomyrcia</em> (Myrtaceae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 101: 648–698.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2014015</p><p class="Reference">Mello-Silva, R. & Sasaki, D. (2016) Revision of the Brazilian hemispheric ovary clade of <em>Vellozia</em> (Velloziaceae) with the new <em>V. religiosa</em>. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 101: 553–567.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2011063</p><p class="Reference">Morales, J.F., Endress, M.E. & Liede-Schumann, S. (2017) Systematics of <em>Prestonia</em> (Apocynaceae: Apocynoids: Echiteae) 80 years after Woodson. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 102: 520–541.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/D-17-00002A</p><p class="Reference">O’Leary, N, Lu-Irving, P., Moroni, P. & Siedo, S. (2016) Taxonomic revision of <em>Aloysia</em> (Verbenaceae, Lantaneae) in South America. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 101: 568–609.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2013015</p><p class="Reference">O’Leary, N. & Thode, V. (2016) The genus <em>Glandularia</em> (Verbenaceae) in Brazil. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 101: 699–749.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2014008</p><p class="Reference">Roth, A.W. (1800) <em>Tentamen Florae Germanicae</em>, vol. 3. Gleditsch, Leipzig, 578 pp.</p><p class="Reference">Szlachetko, D.L. & Kolanowska, M. (2017) Synopsis of the genus <em>Ocampoa</em> (Orchidaceae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 102: 710–729.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.3417/2016031</p><p class="Reference">Tagawa, M. (1940) <em>Polystichum</em> of Japan, Korea, and Formosa I. <em>Acta Phytotaxonomica Geobotanica</em> 9: 119–138.</p><p class="Reference">Tang, G.-D., Huang, L., Li, J.-Y., He, Z.-L. & Zhang, L.-B. (2017). <em>Polystichum hastipinnum</em> (subg. <em>Haplopolystichum</em>; Dryopteridaceae), a new cave fern from Guangdong, China. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 309 (1): 66–72.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.309.1.6</p><p class="Reference">Zhang, L., Gao, X.-F. & Zhang, L.-B. (2013) <em>Polystichum hainanicola</em> (Dryopteridaceae), a new fern species from Hainan Island, China. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 85 (1): 9–14.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.85.1.2</p><p class="Reference">Zhang, L.-B. (2012) Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on the fern genus <em>Polystichum</em> (Dryopteridaceae) from China. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 60 (1): 57–60.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.60.1.8</p><p class="Reference">Zhang, L.-B. & Barrington, D.S. (2013) <em>Polystichum</em>. <em>In</em>: Wu, Z.-Y., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.-Y. (Eds.) <em>Flora of China</em>, vols. 2–3. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, pp. 629–713.</p><p class="Reference">Zhang, L.-B. & He, H. (2009) <em>Polystichum peishanii</em> (sect. <em>Haplopolystichum</em>, Dryopteridaceae): A new fern species from limestone area in Guizhou, China. <em>Botanical Studies </em>50: 101–106.</p><p class="Reference">Zhang, L.-B. & He, H. (2011) <em>Polystichum fengshanense</em>, sp. nov. (sect. <em>Haplopolystichum</em>, Dryopteridaceae) from karst caves in Guangxi, China based on morphological, palynological, and molecular evidence. <em>Systematic Botany</em> 36: 854–861.</p><p class="Reference"> https://doi.org/10.1600/036364411X604877</p><p>Zhou, H.-G., Li, H. & Huang, Y.-Y. (1996) New species of pteridophyte from limestone area of Guangxi. <em>Guihaia</em> 16: 203–289.</p>