全 文 ：Journal of Systematics and Evolution 46 (1): 93–95 (2008) doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1002.2008.06177
(formerly Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica) http://www.plantsystematics.com
Taxonomic revision of Syringa pinetorum complex (Oleaceae)
1,2,3Jin-Yong CHEN 2Zuo-Shuang ZHANG 1De-Yuan HONG *
1(State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China)
2(Beijing Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China)
3(Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)
Abstract Five species of the Syringa pinetorum complex described by previous authors are revised. Syringa
wardii W. W. Sm., S. mairei (H. Lév.) Rehder, S. rugulosa McKelvey and S. chuanxiensis S. Z. Qu & X. L. Chen
are treated as synonyms of S. pinetorum on the basis of population sampling, character analysis and principal
coordinate analysis, and S. mairei is a new synonym. Only one variable species, S. pinetorum, is here recognized
in the complex.
Key words Syringa, Syringa pinetorum, S. mairei, new synonymy.
Syringa pinetorum complex refers to Syringa L.
species native to Yunnan, Sichuan and Xizang (Tibet)
of China, which belong to ser. Pubescentes (C. K.
Schneid.) Lingelsh. It differs from the others (S.
pubescens complex) of the series in having anthers
yellow and capsule generally glabrous.
Smith (1916) described S. pinetorum and S.
wardii as new based on the specimens from north-
western Yunnan. Meanwhile, Léveillé (1916) de-
scribed Ligustrum mairei as new based on a specimen
collected by Maire also from Yunnan. McKelvey
(1925) described S. rugulosa as new based on Maire’s
other specimens. After examining Maire’s specimens,
Rehder (1934) made the combination Syringa mairei,
with S. rugulosa as synonymy. Qu and Chen (Chen et
al., 1989) described S. chuanxiensis as new based on
the specimens from Sichuan Province.
Chang and Chen (1990) and Chang (1992) rec-
ognized two species, S. mairei and S. pinetorum, with
S. wardii as synonymy of the latter, considering S.
wardii having leaf blades scarcely different from S.
pinetorum. However, based on shape and size of leaf
blades and indumentum on the leaf surfaces, Green
and Chang (1995) and Chang et al. (1996) recognized
three species: S. mairei, S. pinetorum and S. wardii,
with S. chuanxiensis as synonymy of the first.
The current taxonomy of this complex is unsatis-
factory probably because it has been based on few
available specimens in the herbaria without extensive
field observation and population sampling undertaken
for intensive revision. To reveal the variation pattern
and range of morphological characters of the complex,
five populations (Table 1: XJ, XC, XG, DE and LI)
were sampled across northern Yunnan and western
Sichuan according to the type localities. About one
hundred herbarium specimens from Sichuan, Yunnan
and Xizang were examined. The specimens from the
Lancangjiang Valley represent the population DI,
those from Xizang region represent the population
XZ, and the others were incorporated into the previous
five populations. Therefore, a total of seven popula-
tions were used in the analysis.
Size and shape of leaf blades were often used to
distinguish S. wardii from S. pinetorum. Smith (1916)
described the former by its leaf blades suborbicular,
1–2 cm long and broad (vs. ovate, 2–3.5×1–1.6 cm in
the latter). Green and Chang (1995) described S.
pinetorum having leaf blades 1.5–3×0.6–1.8 cm; S.
wardii, 1.2–2.2×1.2–2.2 cm; and S. mairei,
(2–)4–4.5(–6)×(1.5–)2–2.5(–3) cm. Our observation
and analysis show that length, width and the ratio of
length to width of leaf blades vary continuously
among the populations (Table 1). Thus the size and
shape of leaf blades are unsuitable to distinguish the
above three species.
Green and Chang (1995) and Chang et al. (1996)
considered leaf blades densely pubescent abaxially in
S. mairei, while glabrous abaxially except along
midribs and primary veins in S. pinetorum. From our
extensive observation, leaf blades are usually densely
pubescent on both sides in the population XJ, glabrous
adaxially and usually from glabrous to sparsely pu-
bescent abaxially in XC, XZ, XG and DE, while from
glabrous to densely pubescent on both sides in DI and
LI (Table 1). Indumentum on leaf surfaces varies
continuously among the populations, thus unsuitable
to delimit the above species.
Other characters also show no distinct differences
among the populations. Populations show continuous
———————————
Received: 10 October 2006 Accepted: 3 April 2007
* Author for correspondence. E-mail: .
Journal of Systematics and Evolution Vol. 46 No. 1 2008 94

Table 1 Character variation among populations of Syringa pinetorum complex*
Population Indumentum on adaxial
surface of leaf blades
Indumentum on abaxial
surface of leaf blades
Length of leaf
blades (cm)
Width of leaf blades
(cm)
Ratio of length to width
of leaf blades
XJ 1(1); 3(7); 4(11) 4(20) (2.6–)3.2–4.9(–6) (1.3–)1.5–2.2(–2.5) (1.5–)1.8–2.5(–3.1)
XC 0(12) 0(8);1(3);2(1) (1.4–)1.6–3.4(–4.5) (0.9–)1–1.8(–1.9) (1.2–)1.4–2.2(–2.4)
XZ 0(12) 0(12);2(1); 4(1) (0.9–)1.1–3.3(–4.3) (0.6–)0.7–2.3(–3.5) (1–)1.2–1.8(–2)
XG 0(7);4(1) 0(6);2(2) (1.1–)1.6–2.5(–2.6) (0.9–)1–1.6(–1.8) 1.2–2(2.1)
DE 0(11) 0(9);1(1);2(1) 1.5–2.7(–3.5) 1–2.1(–2.7) (1.1–)1.2–1.5(–1.7)
DI 0(8); 2(2); 3(4); 4(16) 0(6); 1(1); 2(1); 3(2);
4(19)
(1.4–)2.6–7.8(–9.5) (0.8–)1.7–4.8(–6.1) (1–)1.2–2(–2.6)
LI 0(5); 1(3); 2(2); 3(2); 4(2) 1(1); 2(9); 3(2); 4(2) (1.9–)2.1–3(–3.4) (0.6–)0.9–1.6(–1.9) (1.6–)1.7–2.8(–3.8)
* XJ, Xiaojin, Sichuan; XC, Xiangcheng, Sichuan; XZ, Xizang; XG, Shangri-La, Yunnan; DE, Dêqên, Yunnan; DI, Lancangjiang valley, Yunnan; LI,
Lijiang, Yunnan. Indumentum is coded from 0 (glabrous) to 4 (densely pubescent) according to density and the number in the parenthesis stands for
individuals observed; quantitative characters are listed as mean±stand deviation and the range of variation.
XC
XJ
XZ
DI
DE
LI
XG
Ax
is
2
Axis 1
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3
-0.4
-0.5
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
-0.1-0.2-0.3-0.4-0.5 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

Fig. 1. Scatter plot of principal coordinates 1 against 2 for Syringa pinetorum complex (population explanation see Table 1).

transition and no distinct group can be detected in the
principal coordinate plot resulted from analysis of 27
characters (Fig. 1). Therefore, only one variable
species is recognized here.
Syringa pinetorum W. W. Sm. in Notes Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 9: 132. 1916. Type: China. Yunnan (云南):
Lijiang (丽江), alt. 3050–3350 m, 1914-06, G. Forrest
12472 (holotype, E!).
Syringa wardii W. W. Sm. in Notes Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 9: 132. 1916. Type: China. Yunnan (云南):
Dêqên (德钦), Tungchuling, alt. 3050 m, K. Ward 312
(holotype, E!)
Syringa rugulosa McKelvey in Journ. Arn. Arb.
6: 153. 1925. Type: China. Yunnan (云南): Tcha-Ho,
alt. 2600 m, 1914-07, E. E. Maire 169 (holotype, E!);
Telong- tsin, alt. 3000 m, E. E. Maire 503 (Paratype,
A, K!).
Syringa mairei (H. Lév.) Rehder in Journ. Arn.
Arb. 15: 302. 1934, syn. nov.——Ligustrum mairei H.
Lév., Cat. Pl. Yun-Nan: 181. 1916. Type: China.
Yunnan (云南): Tcha-Ho, alt. 2600 m, E. E. Maire s.n.
(holotype, E!).
Syringa chuanxiensis S. Z. Qu & X. L. Chen in
Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 9: 39. 1989. Type: China.
Sichuan (四川): Xiaojin (小金), Sichuan Econ. Pl.
Exped. (四川经济植物考察队) (59) 0178 (lectoholo-
type designated here, PE!; lectoisotype, CDBI!,
KUN!) , X. S. Zhang & Y. X. Ren (张秀实, 任有铣)
5866 (lectoparatype, CDBI!, SZ!), K. T. Xiang et al.
(相开太等) 10741 (lectoparatype, SCFI; photo, K!).
Shrub up to 6 m tall. Leaves lanceolate, elliptic,
ovate to suborbicular, 0.9–9.5×0.6–6.1 cm, apex
acuminate, acute to obtuse, base cuneate to rounded,
glabrous to pubescent, lateral veins 3–7 pairs; petiole
0.2–1 cm long. Inflorescences developed from two
lateral buds, usually without leaves at base,
2.6–20×1.5–17 cm; rachis pubescent; calyx 1–3×1–2
mm; corolla tube usually cylindrical, 5–14 mm long
and 1–2 mm in diameter, lobes often elliptic, purple,
CHEN et al.: Taxonomic revision of Syringa pinetorum complex (Oleaceae)

95
pink to whitish, 2–5×1–3 mm; anthers yellow, 0–4
mm below throat; pistil 1–3 mm long. Capsule oblong
to conic, 9–17×2.5–5 mm, glabrous to minutely
lenticellate.
It is distributed in Sichuan, Xizang and Yunnan
of China, growing in open thickets, forests or forest
margins, at an altitude between 2000 and 3600 m.
Flowering in May.
Representative specimens examined:
China. Sichuan (四川): Dajin (大金), Kasa (卡撒), X. Li
(李馨) 77666 (PE, WUK); Kangding (康定), S. Jiang (姜恕)
2942 (KUN, PE); Xiangcheng (乡城), J. Y. Chen (陈进勇)
05065, 05074 (PE), Z. G. Liu (刘照光) 0010 (CDBI); Xiaojin
(小金), E. H. Wilson 2583 (K), Sino-Scottish Exped. (中国-苏
格兰考察队) 4039 (E), Rilong (日隆), X. S. Zhang (张秀实)
07104 (CDBI, PE, SZ), Shuangbai (双柏), J. Y. Chen (陈进勇)
05080, 05089 (PE). Yunnan (云南): Dêqên (德钦), Lancang-
jiang (澜沧江), Alden et al. 697 (E), K. M. Feng (冯国楣) 5736
& 6390 (KUN), 8841 (KUN, PE), G. Forrest 20336 (K),
Qinghai-Tibet Exped. (青藏队) 2867, 3063 (KUN), Yunling
(云岭), J. Y. Chen (陈进勇) 05051, 05061 (PE); Jiren (吉任),
T. T. Yu (俞德浚) 11294 (KUN); Lijiang (丽江), Baishuihe (白
水河), J. Y. Chen (陈进勇) 05041, 05044 (PE), Lijiang Bo-
tanical Garden (丽江植物园) 100056 (KUN), Mekong-Salween
divide, G. Forrest 14157, 14159 (KUN), 20135 (K), J. F. Rock
8710 (E); Shangri-La (香格里拉), T. T. Yu (俞德浚) 13417
(PE), Dongwang (东旺), Y. S. Yang (杨意思) s.n. (KUN),
Haba (哈巴), K. M. Feng (冯国楣) 1301 (KUN), Zhongdian
Exped. (中甸队) 63-3082 (KUN), Nixi (尼西), J. Y. Chen (陈
进勇) 05062, 05064 (PE), Panbi (畔必), T. T. Yu (俞德浚)
8178 (KUN, PE); Weixi (维西), Yangtze-Mekong divide (长江
-澜沧江分水岭), G. Forrest 21606 (E, K); Wengshui (翁水),
Alden et al. 417 (E); Yongning (永宁), J. F. Rock 17186 (E).
Xizang (西藏): Jomda (江达), P. C. Kuo (郭本兆) 21582
(WUK); Qamdo (昌都), Qinghai-Tibet Exped. (青藏队) 7385,
11613, 11614 (PE), Y. W. Tsui (崔友文) 5544, 5574(PE); Zayü
(察隅): Anonymous 6026 (KUN), Qinghai-Tibet Exped. (青藏
队) 10926 (KUN), Q. W. Wang (王启无) 65400 (PE).
The holotype of Syringa chuanxiensis was des-
ignated as X. S. Zhang & Y. X. Ren 5860 (CDBI) by
Qu and Chen. But the specimen bearing this number in
CDBI is Populus trinervis Z. Wang & S. L. Tung.
Hence one of the syntypes, Sichuan Econ. Pl. Exped.
(59) 0178 (PE), is here designated as the lectotype.

Acknowledgements We thank the curators and
staffs of the herbaria CDBI, E, K, KUN, PE, SZ and
WUK for their assistance in examining specimens.
This work was supported by the National Natural
Science Foundation of China, Grant No. 30500036,
and Beijing Municipal Administrative Centre of Parks.
References
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木犀科松林丁香复合体的分类修订
1,2,3陈进勇 2张佐双 1洪德元*
1(系统与进化植物学国家重点实验室, 中国科学院植物研究所 北京 100093)
2(北京植物园 北京 100093)
3(中国科学院研究生院 北京 100049)

摘要 对松林丁香S. pinetorum W. W. Sm.复合体内各学者发表的5个新种进行了分类修订。根据居群取样、性状分析和主坐
标分析结果, 圆叶丁香S. wardii W. W. Sm.、S. mairei (H. Lév.) Rehder、S. rugulosa McKelvey和川西丁香S. chuanxiensis S. Z. Qu
& X. L. Chen被处理为松林丁香的异名, 其中S. mairei为新异名。此复合体只有一种, 即松林丁香。
关键词 丁香属; 松林丁香; 皱叶丁香; 新异名