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Issue: Vol. 758 No. 3: 26 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-26
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.758.3.4
Page range: 227-260
Abstract views: 0
PDF downloaded: 0

Taxonomic review of the genus Gymnocladus (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae: Gleditsieae) with emphasis on Asian species, including a new species G. sanctus

Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization; South China Botanical Garden; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou 510650; China; South China National Botanical Garden; Guangzhou 510650; China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing 100049; China; Ningbo Botanical Garden; Ningbo 315201; China; Herbarium; Bazi Collection & Botanical Garden; Mengzi 661100; China
Accelerated Taxonomy Department; Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew; Richmond; Surrey; TW9 3AE; UK
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Malipo County; Malipo 663600; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Lancang Lahu Autonomous County; Lancang 665600; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hekou Yao Autonomous County; Hekou 661399; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guangnan County; Guangnan 663300; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guangnan County; Guangnan 663300; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guangnan County; Guangnan 663300; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guangnan County; Guangnan 663300; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guangnan County; Guangnan 663300; China
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guangnan County; Guangnan 663300; China
Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization; South China Botanical Garden; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou 510650; China; South China National Botanical Garden; Guangzhou 510650; China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing 100049; China; Center for Integrative Conservation; Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Mengla 666303; China
CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia; Kunming Institute of Botany; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming 650201; China
Critically Endangered enthnobotany flora of China Guangxi Province IUCN lectotypification legumes Leguminosae sacred tree synonymization Yunnan Province limestone species Eudicots ethnobotany legume limestone

Abstract

A total of six species of the genus Gymnocladus are recognized herein, five of which are distributed in Asia: G. angustifolius, G. assamicus, G. burmanicus, G. chinensis, along with G. sanctus that is described and illustrated as new. The new species resembles the only North American species, G. dioicus, but differs by its generally lanceolate-ovate to oblong (vs. ovate) leaflets, which are thinly coriaceous (vs. chartaceous), pinkish (vs. white to greenish-white) flowers, and generally smaller and thicker (8–12 × 3–4.5 × 2.5–3 cm vs. 12–25 × 3–7 × 0.6–0.8 cm), sparsely puberulent (vs. glaucous) pods. Additionally, a lectotype is designated for G. assamicus. An updated key encompassing all six species and a distribution map for the five Asian species are also provided.

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How to Cite

Jiang, K.-W., Clark, R.P., Xiao, B., Luo, Y., Ping, Y.-M., Zheng, L.-G., Wei, Y.-D., Deng, R.-Y., Wang, R.-Y., Lu, Y., Zhang, R.-C., Li, S.-J., Pan, B. & Liu, E.-D. (2026) Taxonomic review of the genus Gymnocladus (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae: Gleditsieae) with emphasis on Asian species, including a new species G. sanctus. Phytotaxa 758 (3): 227–260. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.758.3.4