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Taxonomic revision of Rhododendron mariae (Ericaceae) and related taxa
Author(s) -
Jin XiaoFeng,
Ding BingYang,
Jin ShuiHu,
Qian Li
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2009.00316.x
Subject(s) - biology , synonym (taxonomy) , taxon , botany , taxonomy (biology) , ericaceae , genus
Based on a literature survey and a field trip with specimen examination, statistical analysis including principal components analysis (PCA) on morphological characters have been carried out on Rhododendron mariae and related taxa. Cluster analysis and PCA showed three independent groups, which corresponded to three species except R. loniceriflorum . As a consequence, nine taxa are reduced to synonyms of R. mariae , and two new combinations, viz R. mariae subsp. microphyton , and R. mariae subsp. flumineum are made. Rhododendron microphyton var. trichanthum is reduced to a synonym of R. mariae subsp. microphyton , and R. malipoense to a synonym of R. mariae subsp. flumineum . Three names are synonymized and a new combination, viz R. chryocalyx subsp. meridionale , is proposed within R. chryocalyx . The third entity, R. naamkwanense , has got two new synonyms. Rhododendron loniceriflorum , with whitish pubescence on the inner corolla surface, is recognized as the fourth distinct species. Each entity is illustrated with line drawings for identification.