Taxonomic Revision Of Hypericaceae From Pan-Himalaya

According to APG IV,Hypericaceae owns more than 500 species in 10 genera,which are widely distributed in the world except for high-altitude,tropical and subtropical areas,with high utility such as horticulture and antidepressant.There are about 500 species in Hypericum since Linnaeus published the genus in 1753.Hypericum in Pan-Himalaya own a high level of variation within species.Due to insufficient research,previous researchers paid too much attention to individual variation and ignored intra-population variation,and few complete records of specimens are available,so there has been no comprehensive and systematic taxonomic revision of Hypericaceae from Pan-Himalaya.Although the systematic position of Lianthus ellipticifolius were not clarified,there has been no study on the systematic position of Lianthus since no specimens have been collected in the past three decadesIn this study,the author researched 86 scientific names in Hypericaceae that have been validly published,and cheeked more than 7 000 specimens from 53 domestic and abroad herbaria.In addition,the team collected more than 800 specimens from about ten population in Qinling mountains of shaanxi,NW Yunnan and S Sichuan,and about 400 molecular samplesIn patulum group,the author observated and measured 744 specimens,and suggested that the characters such as sepals eroded-denticulate,shapes and cpsule length,were uneffective in distinguishing species.In trigonum group,the author observated and measured 413 specimens,and suggested that the characters such as branches and petiolate or sessile,were uneffective in distinguishing speciesThe research selected one nuclear gene(Internal Transcribed Spacer,ITS),and three segments of the chloroplast(trnH-psbA,trnL-trnF and trnS-trnG),reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships within the family,considered that Lianthus was inside the Hypericum,Sect.Ascyreia and Sect.Roscyna were sister group,but two species in patulum group,H.patulum and H.uralum,were not in a clade.Sect.Monanthema and Sect.Elodeoida were sister groupThe author re-incorporated Liannthus N.Robson into Hypericum,and reinstated the taxonomic status of Hypericum elliptifolium H.L.Li..There are 45 species and four subspecies in eight sections of one genus(Hypericum)in Pan-Himalaya confirmed,and revised the characteristic description of the species in pan-himalayan region according to the literature description,type specimens,field investigation and herbarium study.The information of geographical distribution,habitat and phenological period were supplemented.49 distribution maps are provided.Key to sections and species are provided.