$¢PhytoKeys PhytoKeys 259: 103-109 (2025) DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.259.150512 Research Article Stellaria yabulaiensis (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Inner Mongolia, China Lei Liu', Xiao-Jing Qiang', Fan Huang’, Xiu-Zheng Huang, Ya-Lin Yu' 1 Grassland Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China Corresponding author: Lei Liu (liv4311755@163.com) OPEN Qaceess Academic editor: Duilio lamonico Received: 18 February 2025 Accepted: 2 June 2025 Published: 26 June 2025 Citation: Liu L, Qiang X-J, Huang F, Huang X-Z, Yu Y-L (2025) Stellaria yabulaiensis (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Inner Mongolia, China. PhytoKeys 259: 103-109. https://doi. org/10.3897/phytokeys.259.150512 Copyright: © Lei Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0). Abstract Stellaria yabulaiensis (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Inner Mongolia, China, is described and depicted with photographic illustrations. It is similar to S. bistyla, from which differs in its slender fibrous root, longer leaves and pedicel, occurrence of three styles, and more seeds. A morphological comparison among the new species and the similar ones is also provided. Key words: Morphology, new species, Stellaria Introduction Stellaria L. (1753: 421) (Caryophyllaceae Juss.) is a genus containing 150-200 species occurring almost throughout the world (Hernandez-Ledesma et al. 2015; POWO 2025). Stellaria is polyphyletic and many taxa have been trans- ferred to other genera, like Adenonema Bunge (1836: 548), Cerastium Linnaeus (1753: 438), Engellaria lamonico (2021: 4), Hartmaniella M.L.Zhang & Rabeler (2017: 455), Mesostemma Vvedensky (1941: 4), Maguirellaria lamonico (2023: 240), Minuartia Linneaus (1753:89), Mononeuria Reichenbach (1845: 205), Nubelaria M.T.Sharples & E.A.Tripp (2019a: 886), Pseudocherleria Dillenberger & Kadereit (2014: 451), and Rabelera M.T.Sharples & E.A.Tripp (2019b: 870). After these changes, according to Sharples and Tripp (2019b) and lamonico (2021, 2023), Stellaria would now consist of 111 species. A worldwide revision of Stellaria is still lacking (El Mokni et al. 2023). More than seventy Stellaria species are currently recorded in China, including some newly described in recent years (Gan and Li 2014; Xu and Ma 2018; Song et al. 2020; Wang et al.2020, 2024; Yahara et al. 2021; Li et al. 2022; Arya et al. 2024). 27 species have been reported in Inner Mongolia according to Zhao et al. (2019). As a key taxonomic feature, the majority of Stellaria species have three styles, but a notable variation is observed in certain species in which the num- ber of styles ranges from two to four, as seen in S. bistyla Y.Z.Zhao, S. alsine Grimm, S. vestita Kurz, S. graminea L., S. ovatifolia (M.Mizush.) M.Mizush., S. strongylosepala Hand.-Mazz., etc. In order to investigate the florist diversity of Alashan region (western Inner Mon- golia, China), we observed a population of Stellaria which cannot be ascribed to any 103 Lei Liu et al.: Ste/laria yabulaiensis is a new species which has disitinctive characters known species. After a careful examination of Floras and other relevant literature (Ren and Di 1985; Zhao YZ 1985; Lu et al. 2001) and exsiccate preserved in numer- ous herbarium, we reached the conclusion that a new species can be proposed. Materials and methods Field surveys were carried out during the years 2023 and 2024. Morphological characters of living plants, including flowering and non-flowering individuals, were observed, measured and photographed under an SLR camera and an Olympus stereozoom microscope (OLYMPUS SZX10) and described using the terminology used by Lu etal. (2001). Stellaria bistyla and S. alsine were considered for the mor- phological comparison according to Zhao et al. (2019). Specimens were deposit- ed in the Herbarium FGC (acronym according to Thiers 2025). Further material is consulted through JSTOR Global Plants (2025), NSII (2025), and NPSRC (2025). Relevant literature is also analyzed (Lepsi et al. 2019; Sindhu and Singh 2024). Taxonomic treatment Stellaria yabulaiensis L.Liu, sp. nov. urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77364104-1 Figs 1, 2 Type. CHINA. Inner Mongolia: Alashan, Alashan Right Banner, Yabulai Town, 40°9'21"N, 104°0'12"E, 1367 ms.l.m., 8 August 2024, L.Liu GRI2023102 (holo- type: FGC!, isotype: FGC!). Diagnosis (Table 1). Stellaria yabulaiensis is similar to S. bistyla from which differ in having a slender fibrous root (0.3—0.5 mm in diameter vs. ca. 5-8 mm taproot), occurrence of a rhizome (vs. without rhizome), quadrangular stem (vs. cylindrical stem), linear-lanceolate leaf, 30-65 x 4-6 mm (vs. ovate-lanceolate, 10-20 x 2-10 mm), longer pedicel, 14-40 mm (vs. 3-20 mm), 3 styles (vs. usually 2 styles), and 1-3 seeds per fruit (vs.1-2 seeds). Description. Herbs perennial, 8-20 cm tall. Slender fibrous root. Rhizome quad- rangular and slender (0.7—1.1 mm in diameter). Stems, quadrangular, slender with glandular hairs. Leaves sessile, smooth, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 3.0-6.5 cm long, 4-6 mm wide, apex acuminate, base slightly narrowed, margin entire, mid-vein obviously raised. Flowers solitary in axillary cymes. Bracts foliate, oblong, 3-15 mm long, 3 mm wide, apex acuminate. Pedicel filiform, glandular hairs, 1.4-—4.0 cm. Sepals 5, glandular hairs, oblong,6 mmlong,2 mm wide, margin membranous. Petals 5, subequalling sepals, 2-lobed cleft, lobes oblong. Stamens 10, almost equal with sepals, filament widened at base, succulent, anthers fuchsia. Ovary ellipsoid, styles 2 or 3. Capsule black-brown, ellipsoid, markedly shorter than sepals, ca. 2.5 mm long. Seeds 1-3, brown, reniform, 2 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, regularly rugulose. Etymology. The specific epithet “yabulaiensis” refers to the Yabulai Moun- tain where the new species was collected. Vernacular name (Chinese). ya bu lai fan lt (FE RRB). Distribution and habitat. Ste//aria yabulaiensis is known from Alashan Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, China. The plants grow in humid sand at 1370 maz.s.l. For the time being, S. yabulaiensis is only known from the type locality, compris- ing less than 50 individuals. PhytoKeys 259: 103-109 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.259.150512 104 Lei Liu et al.: Ste/laria yabulaiensis is a new species which has disitinctive characters 3 4 Figure 1. Stellaria yabulaiensis L.Liu. A-D. Habitat; E. Plant; F Root; G. Rhizome; H. Branch; I. Stem (glandular hairs); J. Flower (style 2); K. Capsule; L. Leaf; M. Pedicel. PhytoKeys 259: 103-109 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.259.150512 105 Lei Liu et al.: Ste/laria yabulaiensis is a new species which has disitinctive characters I Figure 2. Stellaria yabulaiensis L.Liu. A. Inflorescence; B. Leaf; C. Stem (glandular hairs); D. Flower (glandular hairs); E. Sepal; F. Stamen; G. Ovary (styles 2, 3); H. Capsule; I. Seeds. PhytoKeys 259: 103-109 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.259.150512 106 Lei Liu et al.: Ste/laria yabulaiensis is a new species which has disitinctive characters Table 1. Morphological comparison amongst Stellaria yabulaiensis, S. bistyla, and S. alsine. Plant height (cm) Hair on the plant Root Rhizome Stem Leaf Shape Size Pedicel (mm) Sepal Petal (length) Capsule (length) Number of styles Seed number S. yabulaiensis S. bistyla S. alsine 8-20 10-40 15525 glandular hairy glandular hairy glabrous fibrous root slender taproot (5-8 mm) fibrous Root,slender linear-lanceolate Yes Yes No quadrangular cylindicalr quadrangular ovate-lanceolate lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate 30-65 x 4-6 mm 10-20 x 2-10 mm 5-20 x 2-4mm 14-40 3-20 5-20 ca.6 x 2mm 4-5 xca.1mm 2-4xca.1mm 5.8-6.1 mm ca.3mm 2-4mm 235207 mi ca. 2.5mm subequaling or slightly longer than sepal 2 (3, obvious) 2 (3, rare) 3 (sometimes 2) Tg 1 (or 2) More Phenology. Flowering time June-July; fruiting time August-October. Conservation status. Stellaria yabulaiensis was found only in the type locali- ty whose population are very small, but the whole distribution area is not clear; hence, we cannot conclude if it is a relatively common or rare species. In con- sideration of the dry area in western Inner Mongoilia, the new species needs further investigation in its distribution area and size of population to determine the current IUCN category. Taxonomic notes. Due to the large number of species within the genus Stel- laria, it has been further classified into six sections: Sect. Leucostemma, Sect. Fimbripetalum, Sect. Adenonema, Sect. Stellaria, Sect. Oligosperma, and Sect. Schizothecium; subsections and series occur within Sect. Stellaria. Stellaria yabulaiensis belongs to Sect. Oligosperma since it displays mainly 2 styles, 5 petals, 5 sepals, and 10 stamens. Additional information Conflict of interest The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Ethical statement No ethical statement was reported. Funding The work is financially supported by Conservation and Population Restoration Demon- stration Study of Elymus villifer (C.R Wang & X.L.Yang) (Grant 2023YFDZ0045), Safe Preservation of Northern Forage Germplasm Resources (Grant 19240482) and Supple- mentary List and its Assessment of the Rare and Endangered Plant Species in Inner Mongolia (Grant 2021MS03074). Author contributions Co-first author 1: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Project administration. The other Co-author: Partic- ipated in field investigation and specimen collection. PhytoKeys 259: 103-109 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.259.150512 107 Lei Liu et al.: Ste/laria yabulaiensis is a new species which has disitinctive characters Data availability All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text. 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