2025/11/19 by Chenlong Fu, Jia-Ning Zhou, Wei-Hua Liao +3 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant Diversity and Evolution #Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions #Plant and animal studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.3897/phytokeys.266.147400
openalex created_date 2025/11/19 · openalex publication_date 2025/11/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Balanophora xinfeniae C.L.Fu, M.Li & B.Xu, a new species discovered in Xizang, China, is described and illustrated here. Molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons strongly support B. xinfeniae as a new species within the genus Balanophora . The most distinctive characteristic of the new species is its dioecious sexual system, with male flowers having a 3-lobed perianth, opposite leaves with serrated tips, and yellow scapes. Although it shares morphological similarities with B. henryi , B. xinfeniae can be distinguished by its flat spheroid tubers without stellate lenticels, yellow scape, prominently serrated apical leaf margins, and nearly spherical or ovoid-ellipsoid female inflorescences.