Systematic And Taxonomic Study On Diuranthera And Chinese Species Of Chlorophytum

Diuranthera belongs to the Trib.Asphodeleae of the Liliaceae family.It is a small genus endemic to China and is distributed in southwestern provinces in China: Yunnan,Sichuan,Guizhou and Chongqing.The genus Diuranthera and the genus Chlorophytum are very closely related,and their taxonomic status has been disputed for a long time.W.Marais and Jacqueline merged them into the genus Chlorophytum,while Wu Zhengyi and Li Heng separate the two genus alone.In addition,there are different views on the species classification of Diuranthera.Tang Jin,F.T.Wang,and Chen Xinqi admit that the genus Diuranthera contains multiple species,while Li Heng believes that the genus Diuranthera include only one species: Diuranthera minor(C.H.Wright)Hemsl,and Wu Zhengyi and others think that Yunnan owned one species is Diuranthera major Hemsl.In this paper,the genus Diuranthera and Chinese species of Chlorophytum are taken as the research objects.Based on molecular systematics and traditional morphological and geographical classification,the preliminary classification research on the genus Diuranthera and Chinese species of Chlorophytum is carried out.The results are as follows:1.Based on the molecular phylogeny of ITS and rbcL,psbA-trnH,rpoB,rpoC1 excerpt,the molecular phylogenetic tree established by the joint data shows that the Diuranthera genus is nested in the genus Chlorophytum and form a monophyletic group with other species of Chlorophytum,Diuranthera and Chlorophytum should be combined.The Diuranthera genus was revised as a synonym of Chlorophytum.2.Based on herbarium study and field observation,9 species of genus Chlorophytum(including Diuranthera)are accepted in this study: Chlorophytum majus、Chlorophytum minus、Chlorophytum inarticulata、Chlorophytum eshanensis、Chlorophytum laxum、Chlorophytum nepalense、Chlorophytum chinense、Chlorophytum flaccidum、Chlorophytum malayense.And the key to all taxa of Chlorophytum was presented in this paper.3.Both morphological and molecular evidences indicate that the difference between Chlorophytum flaccidum and Chlorophytum nepalense is very significant.It is not correct for the predecessors to merge the Chlorophytum flaccidum into the Chlorophytum nepalense.Chlorophytum flaccidum should be regarded as an independent species.4.Based on the evidence of morphology and molecular systematics,this study found one new species: Chlorophytum eshanensis,the largest feature of this kind is that its leaves 17-52 cm long,2-4.5 cm broad,inflorescences more branches,pedicel 7-12 mm,Tepals ca.12 mm long,Anthers ca.12 mm,and basal appendages ca.1.3 mm.5.After research on specimens and data,this study believes that Diuranthera chinglingensis J.Q.Xing & T.C.Cui is neither genus of Diuranthera nor Chlorophytum,it is likely to be a horticultural plant introduced from abroad,and its taxonomic status needs to be further research confirmed.