Ceropegia changjiangensis (Apocynaceae), a new karst-obligate species from Hainan, China

Ceropegia changjiangensis (Apocynaceae), a new karst-obligate species from Hainan, China | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 27 January 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Ceropegia changjiangensis (Apocynaceae), a new karst-obligate species from Hainan, China Authors : Qinglong Wang 0000-0002-9834-6944 , Huan Tang 0000-0001-7322-9779 , Lang Yuan 0000-0003-2102-9075 , and Xinjie Zhao [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176951890.02042861/v1 148 views 66 downloads Contents Abstract Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Ceropegia changjiangensis, a new species of the family Apocynaceae from Hainan, China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to C. dolichophylla and C. thaithongiae, but can be easily distinguished from them by leaf and flower features, be it leaf blade surface and apex, corolla lobes, corolla tube and outer corolla lobes. Ceropegia changjiangensis (Apocynaceae), a new karst-obligate species from Hainan, China Abstract Ceropegia changjiangensis, a new species of the family Apocynaceae from Hainan, China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to C. dolichophylla and C. thaithongiae , but can be easily distinguished from them by leaf and flower features, be it leaf blade surface and apex, corolla lobes, corolla tube and outer corolla lobes. Keywords: Ceropegieae , limestone, taxonomy, morphology Introduction The genus Ceropegia L. (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Ceropegieae) is distributed in Africa and Madagascar, extending east to Arabia, India, and China, as well as the northern parts of Australia, and the Canary Islands (Meve and Liede-Schumann 2007, Surveswaran et al. 2009, Bruyns et al. 2017, Kambale and Yadav 2019). Ceropegia sensu stricto comprises more than 240 species, which are primarily found in forests or seasonally dry areas within the semi-arid regions of the Old World. Supported by molecular phylogenetic studies, Ceropegia sensu lato includes Brachystelma and the stem succulent stapeliads thus making of about 725 species under 63 sections, making it the largest genus in the family Apocynaceae (Bruyns et al. 2017, Alharbi and Al-Qthanin 2020, Bruyns et al. 2020). However, based on morphological evidence and keeping the monophyletic stem succulent group separate, only Brachystelma is included and subsumed into Ceropegia , whose 330 species are accepted to be transformed into Ceropegia . (Endress et al. 2019). In China, 24 species of Ceropegia , containing 2 species of Brachystelma , have been recorded including the recently described C . jinshaensis D. T. Liu & Z. K. Wu, C . jilongensis X. D. Ma & J. Y. Shen, C . luzhiensis X. D. Ma & J. Y. Shen, C . eshanensis X.D.Ma & J.Y.Shen and C . sunhangiana P. R. Luo & T. Deng (Li et al. 1995, Wu et al. 2019, Luo et al. 2023, 2024, Ma et al. 2022a, 2022b, 2023, Xie et al. 2022), mainly distributed in southwest and south China. So far, only one species of the genus Ceropegia, C. angustilimba Merr., has been recorded in Hainan Province . In the course of floristic investigation in E’xianling Nature Reserve, Changjiang City (July 2021 and September 2021), Bawangling, Changjiang City (August 2011 and June 2021 and August 2021), and Qixianling, Baoting City (May 2011, May 2020, May 2021 and August 2021), Hainan Province, China, two Ceropegia species were documented and cultivated for subsequent ex-situ study. With further observation, detailed morphological study and extensive literature research (Guangdong Institute of Botany 1974, Jsing and Li 1984, Surveswaran et al. 2009, Bruyns et al. 2017, Rodda and Meve 2017, Kumar et al. 2018, Kidyoo 2018, Kambale and Yadav 2019, Murugesan et al. 2019, Wu et al. 2019) and herbarium specimens at K, NY, IBSC, IBK, and PE, we conclude that specimens from Bawangling and Qixianling should be identified as C . angustilimba , but the specimen from E’xianling Nature Reserve probably represents a putative new species which is readily distinguishable in having an glabrous inner surface of the corolla tube and the inear lanceolate to triangulate outer corona lobes. The new species, here described and illustrated, is most closely related to C . dolichophylla Schltr. and C . thaithongiae Kidyoo. Ceropegia changjiangensis Qing L. Wang & X. J. Zhao, sp. nov. ( Fig. 1) Diagnosis: Ceropegia changjiangensis is similar to C. thaithongiae in leaf blade shape and size, leaf covered with hairs on both surfaces, corolla tube interior glabrous. But it differs from latter in having twining stem, inflorescences 2–or–5–flowered, coralla tube curved, corolla lobes long purplish red or white hairs and outer corona lobes lanceolate. Type: CHINA. Hainan Province, Changjiang City, Wangxia Township, growing in rock crevices, coordinates 19°0’N, 109°6’E, 300-1000 m elevation, 9 September 2021, Wang Qing long 20210909004 (Holotype: ATCH!; Isotypes: IBSC!). Description Perennial, slender, lithophytic herbaceous liana, rootstock as a cluster of fusiform, succulent lateral roots, with subglobose or globose tubers, brown, 0.6–1.5 cm diameter. Stems twining, terete, glabrous, internodes 4.0–6.5 cm long, ca. 1mm in diameter. Leaves ovate, succulently leathery, 2.5–4.5 × 1.1–1.9 cm, apex mucronate, base rounded or broadly cuneate, bearing 2 glands on the adaxial surface, adaxially green, hirsute, abaxially pale green, hirsute, margin entire, hirsute, lateral veins 2–3 pairs, obscure, midrib distinct, slightly grooved on the upper surface, prominent on the lower surface; petiole 4–8 mm long, upper surface of petiole fluted or not, hirsute. Inflorescences axillary, 2–5-flowered; peduncle short, 1.0–2.0 mm long, pedicels ca. 1 cm long, light green, puberulent, bracteoles at base of pedicel, linear-lanceolate, reddish brown, ca. 1 mm long. Calyx basally fused, linear-lanceolate, basally green, apically tinghed reddish brown, 1.5–3.0 × 0.5–1.0 mm, glabrous. Corolla 3.0–3.5 cm long, exterior glabrous. Corolla tube 1.9–2.2 cm long, yellow-green with reddish brown streaked and blotched around it on outer surface, dark purple on inside surface, glabrous, slightly inflated at base, 0.6–0.7 cm in diameter, 0.7–0.8 cm long, then narrowing into a tube 2.0–3.0 mm in diameter, dark purple and white stripes alternate on the inner surface; corolla lobes, 1.1–1.2 cm long, basally ovate, outward-folded, funnelform, laryngeal inflated, densely purplish red or white pilose, reddish brown at base, white at middle, green at apex, apically connate. Corona biseriate; interstaminal corona lobes bifid, yellow at base, lobes red purple, linear lanceolate, puberulent; staminal corona lobes linear, yellow, red purple at base, glabrous, connivent, erect. Pollinaria: Pollinia yellowish, ovoid, ca. 1.2 × 0.8 mm, caudicles short. Follicles: usually 2 mericarps developed, linear, green with reddish brown spots, ca. 8.5 cm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter; carpopodium ca. 1 cm, puberulent. Phenology The plant flowers from August to October, and fruits from November to January. Distribution and habitat Currently, this new species is known only from its type locality in the E’xianling Nature Reserve, Wangxia Township, Changjiang City, Hainan Province, China. It grows on limestone at elevations of 900–1000 m a.s.l., thriving in full sun or shaded rock crevices. Etymology The specific epithet ‘ changjiangensis ’is derived from the type locality, Changjiang City. Vernacular name chāng jiāng diào dēng huā (Chinese pronunciation); 昌江吊灯花 (Chinese name). Conservation status The new species is currently known only from its type locality. During field surveys, fewer than 20 individuals were recorded at the site. Due to insufficient investigation, the full distribution of this species remains unclear. Following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2025), we provisionally assess it as Data Deficient (DD). Further extensive surveys in E’xianling Nature Reserve and similar habitats across Hainan Province are recommended to clarify its range and conservation status. Additional specimens examined (paratype) China, Hainan Province, Danzhou City, Danzhou Germplasm Resource Nursery of Southern Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 19°30’47.83”N, 109°30’6.36”E, alt. 162 m, 21 August 2021, Ma Xinting 20210821001 (ATCH!). Note Ceropegia changjiangensis , was found in limestone landscape, its perennial plants have enlarged subglobose or globose tubers. C. dolichophylla and C. thaithongiae are are similar with this species. C. dolichophylla is distributed in Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, and C. changjiangensis differs from C. dolichophylla in the leaf blade size 2.5–4.5 × 1.1–1.9 cm (vs. 5.0–12.0 × 0.5–2.0 cm), leaf blade shape ovate or ovoid (vs. linear-lanceolate), leaf blade apex mucronate (vs. acute or short acuminate), pedicel ca. 1.0 cm, puberulent (vs. 1.0–1.5 cm, glabrous). C. thaithongiae is distributed in northern Thailand, and C. changjiangensis differs from C. thaithongiae in stem twining (vs. not twining), inflorescences 2–or–5–flowered (vs. 1–or–2–flowered), corolla tube curved (vs. not or slightly curved), corolla lobes long purplish red or white hairs (vs. glabrous) and outer corona lobes lanceolate (vs. triangular). A detailed morphological comparison is given in table 1. References Alharbi, S. A. & Al-Qthanin, R. N. 2021. Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia sect. Huernia (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae) in Saudi Arabia with tree new combinations. – PhytoKeys 174: 47–80. Bruyns, P. V., Klak, C., Mazuch, T., Gelle, F. J., Elmi, H. S. A. & Hanáček, P. 2020. New species of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) from the Horn of Africa. – Phytotaxa 441(2): 195–202. Bruyns, P. V., Klak, C. & Hanáček P. 2017. A revised, phylogenetically-based concept of C eropegia (Apocynaceae). – South African Journal of Botany 112: 399–436. Endress, M. E., Meve, U., Middleton, D. J. &Liede-Schumann, S. 2019. Apocynaceae. – In: Kadereit, J. W. and Bittrich, V. (eds), The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants: Flowering Plants. Eudicots, Apiales, Gentianales (excl. Rubiaceae), Vol. 15. Springer Press, pp. 207–441. Guangdong Institute of Botany. 1974. Flora of Hainan, Vol. 3 . Science Press, pp. 284. IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-2. Available from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ (accessed 22 December 2025). Jiang, Y. & Li, B. T. 1984. Ceropegia L. In: Wu, T.L. (ED), Flora of Guangdong. Vol. 1. Guangdong Sci. and Tech. Press, pp. 495. Kambale, S. S. & Yadav, S. R. 2019. Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae) in India. – Rheedea 29(1): 1–115. Kidyoo, M. 2018. Ceropegia foetidiflora sp. nov. (Asclepiodoideae, Apocynaceae), a new species from northeastern Thailand. – Taiwania 63(4): 327–332. Kumar, R., Sharma S. & Dwivedi M. D. 2018. Ceropegia mizoramensis and C. murlensis (Asclepiadaceae)-Two new species from Northeast India with Phylogenetic and morphological evidence support. – Taiwania 63(2): 163–170. Li P. T., Gibert M. D. & Stevens W. D. 1995. Asclepiadaceae. In : Wu Z.Y. & Raven P.H. (eDs), Flora of China, Vol. 16. Science Press & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, pp. 189–270. Luo, P. R., Rong, S. T., Zhao, X. J., Huang, X. H., Chen, J. T., Qun, L., Zhang, X. J., Jiang, K. Z., Yang, W. G., Huang, G. Y. & Deng, T. 2023. Ceropegia sunhangiana , a new species of Apocynaceae from Southwest China. – Nordic Journal of Botany 2023(9): e03999. Luo, P. R., Yang, O. Y., Huang, X. H., Zhang, X. J., Tan, J. B., Tu, T. Y., Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G., Deng, T. & Sun, H. 2024. Lectotypification of Ceropegia driophila (Apocynaceae) and proposal of Ceropegia paohsingensis as a heterotypic synonym. – Nordic Journal of Botany 2024(12): e04489. Ma, X. D., Xing Y. W., Tan Y. H., Li J. W., Zhou S. S., Ding H. B. & Shen J. Y. 2022a. Ceropegia jilongensis, a new species of Apocynaceae from Xizang, China. – Taiwania 67(1): 93–96. Ma, X. D., Wang H. C., He K. H., Shi J. P. & Shen J. Y. 2022b. Ceropegia luzhiensis , a new species of Apocynaceae from Yunnan, China. – Nordic Journal Botany 2022(4): e03505. Ma, X. D., Wang, W. G., Shi, J. P. & Shen J. Y. 2023. Ceropegia eshanensis , a new species of Apocynaceae from Yunnan, China. – Taiwania 68(1): 75–78. Meve, U. & Liede-Schumann, S. (2007). Ceropegia (Apocynaceae, Ceropegieae, Stapeliinae): paraphyletic but still taxonomically sound. – Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 94(2): 392–406. Murugesan, M., Mao A. A., Meitei L. R. & Kambale S. S. 2019. Ceropegia khasiana (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae), a new species from Meghalaya, Northeast India. – Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 71(2): 519–525. Rodda, M. & Meve, U. 2017. Ceropegia laotica (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae): the first new species of Ceropegia described from Laos . – Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 69(2): 285–293. Surveswaran, S., Kamble MY., Yadav SR. & Sun M. 2009. Molecular phylogeny of Ceropegia (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae) from Indian Western Ghats. – Plant Systematics and Evolution 281: 51–63. Wu, Z. K., Cai J., Cai L. & Liu T. 2019. Ceropegia jinshaensis (Apocynaceae), a new species from northwestern Yunnan, China. – PhytoKeys 130: 41–48. Xie, G., Nong, D. X., Meng, T. & Huang, Y. S. 2022. Notes on Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) in South China. – Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany 31(2): 263–271. FIGURE 1. C eropegia changjiangensis sp. nov. (a–b). Habit. (c). Plant. (d). Rootstock, shows subglobose or globose tubers. (e). Leaves (left: abaxial side; right: adaxial side). (f). Flowers of different periods. (g). Showing calyx and ovary. (h). Dissected corolla tube showing the interior of the basal corolla tube. (i). Corona in face view. (j). Fruit. (k). Pollinia. Table 1. Morphological comparison among Ceropegia changjiangensis , C. dolichophylla and C. Stem twining twining pendant, not twining Rootstock fusiform roots, white fleshy roots fusiform roots, light brown Leaf blade size (cm) 2.5–4.5 × 1.1–1.9 5.0–12.0 × 0.5–2.0 2.0–2.5 × 1.5–2.0 Leaf blade shape ovate or ovoid linear-lanceolate broadly ovate, succulently leathery Leaf blade apex mucronate acute or short acuminate acuminate Leaf blade base rounded cuneate cordate Adaxially hirsute sparsely pubescent hirsute Abaxially hirsute glabrous hirsute Inflorescences 2–or–5–flowered (1–or) 2–7–flowered 1–or–2–flowered Peduncle (cm) short, 0.1–0.2 0.2–3.0, sparsely pubescent short, 0.1–0.5 Pedicel (cm) ca. 1.0, puberulent 1.0–1.5, glabrous slender, 0.7–1.0, glabrous Sepals linear-lanceolate, 1.5–3.0 × 0.5–1.0 mm linear-lanceolate, 5–6 × ca. 1.5 mm lanceolate, 3.5–4.0 × 0.7–0.8 mm Corolla tube curved streaked and blotched purplish maroon, inflated base 4–6.5 (–10) mm wide, narrow- ing to (1.3–) 2–4.5 mm and then widening to 4–12 (–16) mm at base of lobes not or slightly curved Corolla lobes ovate, margins with long purplish red or white hairs, puberulent inside at apex, 1.1–1.2 cm base triangular, pale, apical part slender, darker, coherent at apex, keeled, pilose inside, sometimes with conspicuous white or purple marginal vibratile hairs, (0.8–) 1–2.2 (–2.5) cm ovate, glabrous 8.5–10.0 × 7.0–8.0 mm Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 27 January 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords ceropegieae limestone morphology taxonomy Authors Affiliations Qinglong Wang 0000-0002-9834-6944 Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences View all articles by this author Huan Tang 0000-0001-7322-9779 Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences View all articles by this author Lang Yuan 0000-0003-2102-9075 Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences View all articles by this author Xinjie Zhao [email protected] Herbarium, Bazi Collection & Botanical Garden View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 148 views 66 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Qinglong Wang, Huan Tang, Lang Yuan, et al. Ceropegia changjiangensis (Apocynaceae), a new karst-obligate species from Hainan, China. Authorea . 27 January 2026. 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