全 文 ：植 物 分 类 学 报 45 (1): 94–97(2007) doi:10.1360/aps050008
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica http://www.plantsystematics.com
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Received: 24 January 2005 Accepted: 9 October 2006
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant Nos. 30570117 and 30270105.
* Author for correspondence. E-mail: .
The identity of Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi Grig. and
G . eglandulosa X. Y. Li (Leguminosae)
1,2MENG Lei 1ZHU Xiang-Yun*
1(Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China)
2(Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)
Abstract After examining a large number of specimens and type materials of Glycyrrhiza
uralensis Fisch. ex DC., G. korshinskyi Grig. and G. eglandulosa X. Y. Li and observing their
populational variation in field, we reduce G. korshinskyi and G. eglandulosa to the synonymy
of G. uralensis.
Key words Leguminosae, Glycyrrhiza, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi,
Glycyrrhiza eglandulosa, new synonym.
Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi was published by Grigorjev (1930). The main characters used by
Grigorjev (1930) to distinguish G. korshinskyi from G. uralensis are: infructescences sparse
(not dense); pods slightly curved-falcate (not zigzag sinuate) and appressed with brown
glands or short glandular prickles (not long glandular prickles). After a careful examination of
the types of the two species (Figs. 1, 2), however, we found that there is almost no difference




Fig. 1. Photograph of the holotype of Glycyrrhiza
uralensis Fisch. ex DC. (photo of the specimen, PE).
Fig. 2. Photograph of the holotype of Glycyrrhiza
korshinskyi Grig. (Ф. H. Pycaнoв 468, LE).
No. 1 MENG and ZHU: The identity of Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi and G . eglandulosa (Leguminosae) 95


Fig. 3. Continuous variation of the pods of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. ex DC. A, S. Coll. s.n., 1936-08-27, LE. B, M.
P. Price Gloucester 175, K. C, Nadezhina T. P. 316, K. D, Nadezhina T. P. 217, K.
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica Vol. 45 96
in several states of the key diagnostic characters, viz., the shape of leaves, flowers and
calyces. Consequently we had difficulty in identifying the two species by flowering
specimens. G. uralensis is a very polymorphic species occurring widely in Eurasia. Its pods
show continuous variation in shape from curved-falcate to zigzag sinuate and are densely or
sparsely covered with glandular prickles, sessile glands or simple hairs (Fig. 3). The pods of
G. korshinskyi are slightly curved-falcate and appressed with brown glands or short glandular
prickles, which are just in the range of variation observed in G. uralensis. Therefore, the
infructescences and pods can not be used as diagnostic characters to distinguish the two
species, and G. korshinskyi is by no means distinguishable from G. uralensis.
G. eglandulosa was described by X. Y. Li and claimed to be closely related to G.
uralensis (Li, 1993). A close examination of the specimens and types of G. eglandulosa (Fig.
4) and G. uralensis showed that G. eglandulosa is extremely similar to G. uralensis in all the
important characters, viz., the habit, the shape of leaflets, calyces and infructescences. The
calyces are campanulate and their two upper teeth are fused together; the leaflets, densely
covered with glands, are ovate, oblong-ovate or elliptic; the infructescences are globose,
ellipsoidal or oblong-ellipsoidal. Li (1993) stated that the pods in G. uralensis are densely or
sparsely covered with glandular prickles whereas those in G. eglandulosa not covered with
glandular prickles but short hairs, and the auricles of wings and keels in G. eglandulosa are
obvious whereas those in G. uralensis not obvious. Our research revealed that the diagnostic
characters of pods and wings or keels used by Li are not reliable. Some plants of G. uralensis
also have auricles in wings and keels, and even on the type of G. eglandulosa; two or three
glandular prickles can also be found on the pods. Moreover, our field observation in
Daquangou, the holotype locality of G. eglandulosa, proved that G. eglandulosa has no
definite distribution, and in the population of G. uralensis we could observe only a few
individuals of G. eglandulosa. Therefore, we do not consider the latter as an independent
taxonomic entity.
In summary, according to the evidence discussed above, we consider that the
morphological characters of G. korshinskyi and G.
eglandulosa do not exceed the range of variation
seen in G. uralensis. That is, G. korshinskyi and G.
eglandulosa should be reduced to the synonymy of
G. uralensis.
Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. ex DC. in Prodr. 2:
248. 1825; Ledeb., Fl. Ross. I: 566. 1842; Franch.,
Pl. David. l: 92. 1884; Grig. in Bull. Jard. Bot.
Princ. URSS 29 (1–2): 92. 1930; Kitagawa in
Journ. Jpn. Bot. 13: 428. 1939; Grig. & Vass. in
Kom. Fl. URSS 13: 236. 1948; Krug. in Acta Inst.
Bot. Acad. Sci. URSS, Ser. I. 11: 176. l955; Fl.
Chin. Trad. Med., 1: 355, Colour Pl. 16. 1959;
Anonymous, Icon. Corm. Sin. 2: 434, fig. 2598.
1972; S. C. Lin et al. in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 15 (2):
49. fig. 1. 1977; Ali in Nasir & Ali, Fl. W. Pakistan
100: 95. 1977; Yakovlev in Grobov, P1. Asiae
Centr. 8a: 50. 1983; Rechinger., Fl. Iranica.
Papilionaceae II, 166. 1984; X. Y. Li in Bull. Bot.
Res. 13 (1): 27. 1993; P. C. Li & H. B. Cui in Fl.
Reip. Pop. Sin. 42 (2): 169. 1993; Yakovlev et al.,
Leg. North. Eurasia 292. 1996; Kumar & Sane,

Fig. 4. Photograph of the holotype of Glycyrrhiza
eglandulosa X. Y. Li (X. Y. Li 820171, SHI).
No. 1 MENG and ZHU: The identity of Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi and G . eglandulosa (Leguminosae) 97
Leg. S. Asia 251. 2003. Type: G. uralensis Fisch. DE CAND Prodr. 2 v. 248. n. 7., Fructus
non oidi, G. asperimae pro. (photograph of holotype, PE!).
G. korshinskyi Grig. in Bull. Jard. Bot. Princ. URSS 29: 94. 1930; Grig. & Vass. in Kom.
Fl. URSS 13: 237. 1948; Krug. in Acta Inst. Bot. Acad. Sci. URSS, Ser. I. 11: 179. l955;
Yakovlev et al. in Leg. North. Eurasia 291. 1996. Type: Kasakstanica. Without precise
locality, 1927-06-19, Ф. Н. Рycaнoв 468 (holotype, LE!).
G. eglandulosa X. Y. Li in Bull. Bot. Res. 13 (1): 29. 1993; P. C. Li & H. B. Cui in Fl.
Reip. Pop. Sin. 42 (2): 169. 1993; Paratype: on the way from Yanqi to Tashidian, alt. 1150 m,
1990-07-27, X. Y. Li 90202 (SHI!). Type: China. Xinjiang (新疆): Shihezi (石河子), alt.
420.9 m, 1982-07-24, X. Y. Li 820171 (holotype, SHI!).
Acknowledgements This work is partially supported by the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (Nos. 30570117 and 30270105). We wish to thank the curators of Kew,
LE, BUN, IMD, XJBI, XJA and IBSC for the loan of types and specimens or for the
permission to examine specimens. We also thank Dr. Gregory KENICER for critically
correcting an earlier manuscript and Profs. X. Y. LI and P. YAN and Mr. Y. T. GUO for their
kind help during our field investigation in Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
References
Grigorjev G S. 1930. Systematic classification of Glycyrrhiza species. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique Principal
de URSS 29: 92–98.
Li X-Y (李学禹). 1993. A study of the system and new taxa of genus Glycyrrhiza L. Bulletin of Botanical
Research (植物研究) 13: 14–43.
膜荚甘草和无腺毛甘草(豆科)的名实问题
1, 2孟 雷 1朱相云
1 (中国科学院植物研究所 北京 100093)
2 (中国科学院研究生院 北京 100049)

摘要 在考证了模式标本、查阅了大量腊叶标本的基础上, 结合野外居群生物学调查工作, 作者认为膜
荚甘草Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi Grig.和无腺毛甘草G. eglandulosa X. Y. Li作为独立的种不能成立, 应处理
为乌拉甘草G. uralensis Fisch. ex DC.的异名。
关键词 豆科; 甘草属; 乌拉甘草; 膜荚甘草; 无腺毛甘草; 新异名