Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 772 No. 3: 2 Sept. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-09-02
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.772.3.6
Page range: 267-275
Abstract views: 15
PDF downloaded: 1

Mycetia hekouensis (Rubiaceae), a new basiflorous species from Yunnan, China

Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops; Kunming Institute of Botany; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming; Yunnan; People’s Republic of China; Kunming; 650000; Yunnan; China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; 100049; Beijing; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicine Utilization; Yunnan Branch of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; Jinghong; 666100; Yunnan; China
Eudicots Argostemmateae morphology cauliflory taxonomy

Abstract

Mycetia hekouensis, a new species is described and illustrated from Yunnan Province of China. The new species is akin to M. basiflora and M. mukerjiana in the basiflorous inflorescence, but morphologically differs by the relatively short, reddish peduncle, reddish calyx and white corolla. Morphological comparisons with closely related taxa are provided to delimit the new species, as well as photographic plates, field images, and a distribution map to visualize its morphology and range.

References

  1. Airy Shaw, H.K. (1965) On a new species of the genus Silvianthus Hook.f., and on the family Carlemanniaceae. Kew Bulletin 19 (3): 507–512. https://doi.org/10.2307/4108210
  2. Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C. (1975) A synoptical key to the genera of Rubiaceae of Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) 9: 15–55.
  3. Bentham, G. & Hooker, J.D. (1873) Genera Plantarum, ad exemplaria imprimis in herbariis kewensibus servata definita 2 (1). Lovell Reeve & Co., London, 533 pp.
  4. Chen, T. & Taylor, C.M. (2011) Mycetia Reinwardt. In: Wu, Z.Y. & Raven, P.H. (Eds.) Flora of China 19. Science press Missouri botanical garden press, Beijing St-Louis, pp. 242–247.
  5. Clarke, C.B. (1889) On the plants of Kohima and Muneypore. Journal of the Linnean Society. Botany 25 (165–169): 1–107. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1889.tb00793.x
  6. Craib, W.G. (1932) Florae Siamensis enumeratio. A List of the plants known from Siam with notes of their occurrence 2 (1). Caprifoliaceae & Rubiaceae (in part). Siam Soc., Bangkok, pp. 1–145.
  7. Deb, D.B. (1986) Taxonomic revision of Mycetia Reinw. (Rubiaceae) in Indian Subcontinent. Bulletin of Botanical Survey in India 28 (1–4): 114–132. https://doi.org/10.20324/nelumbo/v28/1986/74713
  8. Deb, D.B. & Dutta, R. (1965) A new species of Mycetia Reinw. from Assam. Indian Forester 91 (5): 272–274.
  9. Fukuoka, N. (1989) Notes on the Rubiaceae from Thailand 3. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 40 (1–4): 107–118. https://doi.org/10.18942/bunruichiri.KJ00001078676
  10. Ginter, A., Razafimandimbison, S.G. & Bremer, B. (2015) Phylogenetic affinities of Myrioneuron and Cyanoneuron, generic limits of the tribe Argostemmateae and description of a new Asian tribe, Cyanoneuroneae (Rubiaceae). Taxon 64 (2): 286–298. https://doi.org/10.12705/642.2
  11. IUCN (2024) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, version 16. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. Available from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf (accessed 29 June 2026)
  12. Lo, H.S. (1991) Materials for Chinese Rubiaceae (II). Guihania 11: 97–116.
  13. Lo, H.S. (1999) Mycetia Reinw. In: Lo, H.S. (Ed.) Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae 71 (1). Science Press, Beijing, pp. 313–326.
  14. Merrill, E.D. (1923) An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants 3. Bureau of Science, Manila, 512 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.49412
  15. Mildbraed, J. (1922) Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Zweiten Deutschen Zentral-Afrika-Expedition 1910–1911, Band II: Botanik. Klinkhardt & Biermann, Leipzig. Available from: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/28920 (accessed 29 June 2026)
  16. Pitard, J. (1923) Mycetia Reinw. In: Lecomte, P.H. (Ed.) Flore Generale de l’Indo-Chine3. Museum National d’ Histoire Naturelle, Paris, pp. 194–199.
  17. POWO (2026) Mycetia Reinw. Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, London, U.K. Available from: https://powo.science.kew.org/ (Continuously updated; accessed 25 April 2026)
  18. Puff, C. (2010) Mycetia (Rubiaceae) from Khao Soi Dao, Chanthaburi Province, SE Thailand: the discovery of a remarkable new species and the true identity of a supposedly endemic species. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) 38: 173–178.
  19. Puff, C., Chayamarit, K. & Chamchumroon, V. (2005) Rubiaceae of Thailand: A pictorial guide to indigenous and cultivated genera. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok, viii+245 pp.
  20. Razafimandimbison, S.G. & Rydin, C. (2024a) Phylogeny and classification of the coffee family (Rubiaceae, Gentianales): Overview and outlook. Taxon 73 (3): 673–717. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.13167
  21. Razafimandimbison, S.G. & Rydin, C. (2024b) Addendum and Corrigendum to: Phylogeny and classification of the coffee family (Rubiaceae, Gentianales): Overview and outlook [in Taxon 73 (3): 673–717. 2024]. Taxon 73 (6): 1556–1557. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.13293
  22. Reinwardt, C. (1825) Nova plantarum indicarum genera. Sylloge Plantarum Novarum 2: 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.112495
  23. Ridley, H.N. (1909) The Flora of the Telom and Batang Padang Valleys. Journal of the Federated Malay States Museums 4: 1–98.
  24. Ridley, H.N. (1923a) A botanical excursion to northern Sumatra. Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 1: 46–113.
  25. Ridley, H.N. (1923b) The Flora of the Malay Peninsula, vol. 2. L. Reeve & Co, London, 672 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10921
  26. Ridley, H.N. (1926) The Flora of the Mentawi Islands. Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Kew 1926 (2): 57–94. https://doi.org/10.2307/4107502
  27. Rydin, C., Razafimandimbison, S.G., Khodabandeh, A. & Bremer, B. (2009) Evolutionary relationships in the Spermacoceae alliance (Rubiaceae) using information from six molecular loci: insights into systematic affinities of Neohymenopogon and Mouretia. Taxon 58 (3): 793–810. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.583009
  28. Robbrecht, E. (1988) Tropical woody Rubiaceae. Opera Botanica Belgica 1: 1–271.
  29. Seah, W.W. & Wong, K.M. (2019) Mycetia Reinw. In: Middleton, D.J., Leong-Škorničková, J. & Lindsay, S. (Eds.) Flora of Singapore 13. National Parks Board: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore, pp. 196–198.
  30. Song, Z.-Q. & Xu, D.-X. (2016) Foonchewia coriacea, a new combination to replace F. guangdongensis (Rubiaceae). Nordic Journal of Botany 34 (6): 685–689. https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.01161
  31. Song, Z.-Q., Zhang, B.-Y., Xiong, X.-K. & Xu, D.-X. (2025) Mycetia saxicola (Rubiaceae), a new species with cauliflory from limestone areas in Yunnan, China, supported by morphological and molecular data. PhytoKeys 267: 233–248. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.267.175218
  32. Thiers, B. (2026 [continuously updated]) Index Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. Available from: http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih (accessed 9 June 2026)
  33. Turland, N.J., Wiersema, J.H., Barrie, F.R., Gandhi, K.N., Gravendyck, J., Greuter, W., Hawksworth, D.L., Herendeen, P.S., Klopper, R.R., Knapp, S., Kusber, W.-H., Li, D.-Z., May, T.W., Monro, A.M., Prado, J., Price, M.J., Smith, G.F. & Zamora Sefioret, J.C. (2025) International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Madrid Code) [Regnum Vegetabile 162]. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 303 pp. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226839479.001.0001
  34. Uddin, S.N. & Rahman, N. (2015) Notes on occurrence of the genus Mycetia Reinwardt (Rubiaceae) in Bangladesh. Bulletin of the Bangladesh National Herbarium 4: 103–110.
  35. Verstraete, B., De Block, P. & Robbrecht, E. (2025) A survey of generic names in Rubiaceae (Gentianales) with notes on context and patterns in naming. Taxon 74 (5): 1153–1171. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.13360
  36. Xu, D.-X., Razafimandimbison, S.G. & Song, Z.-Q. (2016) Mycetia griffithii, a new name for Mycetia angustifolia (Hook.f.) Razafim. & B.Bremer (Rubiaceae). Phytotaxa 252 (3): 231. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.252.3.6
  37. Yan, K.-J., Xu, D.-X. & Song, Z.-Q. (2016) Mycetia fangii (Rubiaceae), a new species from South China, with notes on M. cauliflora. Systematic Botany 41 (1): 229–237. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364416X690624
  38. Yang, S.-H., Liu, Y.-Y., Mbuni, M.Y., Huang, W.-R., Zhou, Y.-D. & Zhang, H. (2025) Global Distribution Patterns and Climatic Drivers of Plant Diversity in Rubiaceae. Biology 14 (12): 1719. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14121719
  39. Zhao, Y.-M., Li, X.-P., Wu, C.-M., Wu, S.-S., Ren, H. & Zhai, J.-W. (2022) Advances in research on cauliflory of woody angiosperms. Plant Physiology Journal 58 (2): 223–236. https://doi.org/10.13592/j.cnki.ppj.2021.0369

How to Cite

Qu, L., Lin, L., Zhao, H., Wang, Y., Zhang, Z., Zhang, Y., Yang, W., Song, M. & Li, H. (2026) Mycetia hekouensis (Rubiaceae), a new basiflorous species from Yunnan, China. Phytotaxa 772 (3): 267–275. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.772.3.6