A new species of genus Lycium L. (Solanaceae) from Xizang: supported by morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis
9 February 2016
xie, Dongmei; Huang, Luqi; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Qian, Dan; Zha, XiLycium amarum sp. nov. L. Q. Huang is described based on its general morphology and pollen micromorphology, which were compared with closely related Lycium species. The phylogenetic relationships among the new species and closely related Lycium species belonging to the tribe Lycieae were investigated based on the DNA sequence data of the granule-bound starch synthase (GBSSI) gene. Morphologically, L. amarum is similar to L. chinense Mill.sharing lanceolate or linear-oblanceolate leaves, three-lobed calyx, villous ring slightly above the filament base, and adjacent corolla tube; however, these species can be distinguished by the prominent tubercles at the base of spines, leaves thinly leathery, and two-tine crack on the tip of calyx lobes. According to above results, the new species L. amarum is close to L. barbarum L., L. chinense, L. dasystemum Pojark, and L. yunnanense Kuang & Lu.