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Bulletin of Botanical Research ›› 1985, Vol. 5 ›› Issue (4): 1-22.

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A STUDY ON THE GENUS GENTIANA OF CHINA(Ⅳ)

Ho Ting-nung   

  1. Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology, Academia Sinica, Xining, Qinghai
  • Online:1985-12-15 Published:2016-06-13

Abstract: The genus Gentiana is tke largest one of the family Gentiona-ceae, which was proposed by Tourneferot (1700) and Lineaus (1737, 1753). There are about 330 species throghout the world out sideof Africa. The greatest numbers of species on record are in temperate Asia, among them 247 species occur in China. The article A study on the genus Gentiana of China abs-tracted from the Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae (vol. 62.), was divided into four parts. The preceding parts validly published 49 new species and varieties. They were respectively published in Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica, Bulletin of Botanical Research and Acta Biological Plateau Sinica. The final part is the report dealing with the systematic arrangement of the genusGentiana in China. The genus Gentiana has been studied by about 40 botanists both at home and abroad, who have established some taxonomic systems of the genus Gentiana and have validly published many species. Different authors have had different ideas about the taxonomic system of the genus Gentiana. In this paper the five authors' systems were discussed. The results obtained from the comparative analysis of their systems may enable us to revalue the taxonomic system of the genus Gentiana. Based on the main characters i.e., the segmental degree of corolla and its plica, the structure of seed coat and the style feature etc., the genus Gentiana was divided into 10 sections by previous authors. Of the perennial plants the ramified forms were considered important by H. Smith (1961), who studied the Sect. Frigida Kusnez. Our systematic arrangement of the genus Gentiana is based on Kusnezow's system, which has been revised by us. Accor-ding to the ramified forms, the style feature and phytogeogra-phy, the Sect. Frigida Kuspez. consisted of fhe complicated component was subdivided into three sections, i. e., Sect.Frigida Kusnez., Sect. Monopodiae(H. Smith) T. N. Ho and Sect. Phyllocalyx T. N. Ho. The last two sections are endemic to Asia. We further narrowed the circumscription of Sect.Chondrophylla Bunge. Gentiana aquatica L. and closely related species were retained in this section; G. prostrata Haeck. and its relatives were transferred to new Sect Dolichocarpa T. N. Ho.by its form and exalate character of fruit. The chinese species of the genus Gentiana are grouped into 11 sections and 23 series, i. e.:Sect. 1. Otophorae Kusnez. Sar. 1. Otophorae Marq. Ser. 2. Decoratae Marq. Sect. 2. Cruciata Gaudin Sect. 3. Monopodiae (H. Smith) T. N. Ho Ser. 1. Confertifoliae(Marq.) T. N. Ho Ser. 2. Verticillatae (Marq.) T. N. Ho Ser. 3. Ornatae(Marq.) T. N. Ho Ser. 4. Apteroideae(H. Smith) T. N. HoSect. 4. Pneumonanthe (Gled.) GaudinSect. 5. Frigida Kusnez.Sect. 6. Isomeria Kusnez. Ser. 1. Sikkimenses(Marq.) T. N. Ho Ser. 2. Depressae(H. Smith) T. N. Ho Ser. 3. Stragulatae T. N. Ho Ser. 4. Uniflorae (Marq.) T. N. HoSect. 7. Phyllocalyx T. N. HoSect. 8. Microsperma T. N. Ho Ser. 1. Suborbisepalae (Matq.) T. N. Ho Ser. 2. Tetramerae (Marq.) T. N. Ho Ser. 3. Annuae (Marq.) T. N. HoSect. 9. Stenogyne Franch.Sect. 10. Dolichocarpa T. N. Ho Sect. 11. Chondrophylla Bunge Ser. 1. Fimbriatae Marq. Ser. 2. Rubicundae Marq. Ser. 3. Linearifoliae Marq. Ser. 4. Orbiculatae Marq. Ser. 5. Humiles Marq. Set. 6. Pubigerae Marq. Ser. 7. Capitatae T. N. Ho Ser. 8. Fastigiatae T. N. Ho Ser. 9. Napuliferae T. N. Ho Ser. 10. Piasezkianae T. N. Ho The genus Gentiana has got 14 sections worldwide. Among them three sections, Sect. Gentiana, Sect. Ciminalis (Adams.)Dumort. and Sect. Calathianae Froel. are endemic to Europe and America. 11 sections occur in China. The movement of the genera Gentianella Moench., CrawfurdiaWall., Tripterospermum Blume, Pterygocalyx Maxim., Megacoden(Hemsl.) F. Smith, Gentianopsis Ma and Comstoma (Wettst.) Toyo-kuni is now widely accepted. We also consider that these genera are separate.