全 文 ：植 物 分 类 学 报 44 (6): 700–703(2006) doi:10.1360/aps050112
Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica http://www.plantsystematics.com
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Received: 1 August 2005 Accepted: 25 July 2006
Supported by the Ministry of Sciences and Technology of China, Grant No. 2004BA721A34, and United States National Science
Foundation, Grant No. DEB-0103795.
* Author for correspondence. E-mail: liheng@mail.kib.ac.cn; Tel.: 86-871-5223533; Fax: 86-871-5223533.
Paris caobangensis Y. H. Ji, H. Li & Z. K. Zhou
(Trilliaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam
JI Yun-Heng LI Heng* ZHOU Zhe-Kun
(Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China)
Abstract Paris caobangensis Y. H. Ji, H. Li & Z. K. Zhou (Trilliaceae), a new species from
Cao Bang, northern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The new species is related to P.
birmanica (Takht.) H. Li & Noltie and P. vietnamensis (Takht.) H. Li, but differs in the plant
being 30–35 cm tall, the leaf blade being ovate-lanceolate (ca. 9.5×4.5 cm) and triplinerved,
and the stamens being twice as many as the petals.
Key words Paris, Paris caobangensis, Trilliaceae, new species, Cao Bang, Vietnam.
The Trilliaceae are traditionally divided into two genera, Trillium L. and Paris L., based
on floral merosity: Trillium is trimerous, whereas Paris is 4- to 11-merous (Takhtajan, 1980;
Thorne, 1992). Paris is a temperate genus with 24 perennial herbaceous species distributed
from Europe to East Asia. Most species, except for a European one (Paris quadrifolia L.) and
a Caucasian one (P. incompleta M. Bieb.), are restricted to East Asia, chiefly in China.
Nineteen species occur in China, with the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau as the center of species
diversity (Li et al., 1988, 1998; Li, 1998). Northern Vietnam is the southernmost limit of the
genus distribution; only two species, P. vietnamensis (Takht.) H. Li and P. fargesii Franch.,
having been documented from this area so far (Li, 1998).
Current classifications (Hara, 1969; Takhtajan, 1983; Li, 1984b, 1998; Mitchell, 1987,
1988) have not been consistent regarding the generic limit of Paris. Hara (1969) divided the
genus into three sections: Paris, Kinugasa (Tategawi & Suto) Hara, and Euthyra (Salisb.)
Franch. Takhtajan (1983) treated Paris as a collective genus that consists of three genera:
Paris sensu stricto, Kinugasa Tategawi & Suto, and Daiswa Rafinesque-Schmaltz. Li (1984b,
1998) basically adopted Hara’s (1969) treatment, recognizing Paris as a single genus, but
divided it into two subgenera, Paris and Daiswa (Raf.) H. Li, with five (Dunnianae H. Li,
Euthyra (Salisb.) Franch., Marmoratae H. Li, Fargesianae H. Li, and Thibeticae H. Li) and
three (Axiparis H. Li, Paris, and Kinugasa (Tategawi & Suto) Hara) sections respectively. We
have followed Li’s (1984a, 1998) treatment in recognizing Paris as a single genus, because
the phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ITS and plastid psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF DNA
sequence data resolved Paris as a monophyletic group with strong statistical support, from
which the classification of Paris as a single genus rather than as three genera is justified (Ji et
al., 2006).
In the spring of 2003, an unusual population of Paris was encountered during an
expedition carried out in Cao Bang Province, northern Vietnam. After having carefully
examined the relevant herbarium specimens of Paris and having reviewed the relevant
literature (Hara, 1969; Takhtajan, 1983; Li, 1984ab, 1986, 1998; Li & Soukup, 1992; Li &
Noltie, 1997; Liang & Soukup, 2000), we consider that this population represents an
undescribed species.
No. 6 JI Yun-Heng et al.：Paris caobangensis (Trilliaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam 701
Paris caobangensis Y. H. Ji, H. Li & Z. K. Zhou, sp. nov. Fig. 1
高平重楼
Species P. birmanicae affinis, sed caule 30–35 cm alto, foliis ovato-lanceolatis, ca.
9.5×4.5 cm, tripinervibus, sepalis ovato-lanceolatis, circ. 3.5×2.5 cm, petalis fulvo-virentibus,
staminibus 2×petalis in numero differt.
Vietnam. Cao Bang: Yan Lac, 105° 50′ 28.8′′ E, 22° 44′ 16′′ N, alt. 1100 m, limestone
evergreen forest, 2003-04-19, Y. H. Ji (纪运恒) 0127 (holotype, KUN; isotype, PE).
introduced and cultivated in the Kunming Botanical Garden, 2004-05-20, Y. H. Ji (纪运恒)
0159 (paratype, KUN).
Perennial herb. Rhizome cylindric, oblique or horizontal, 2–3 cm in diam., 5–7 cm long,
bearing a bud at the top; fleshy roots about 10 cm long. Stem erect, cylindric, rubbish purple
at lower portion and whitish green at upper portion, 30–35 cm×3–5 mm. Leaves 4–6 in a
whorl at the top of stem (flowering plants); leaf blades ovate-lanceolate, green, papery, apex
acuminated, base subrounded, 9.5×4.5 cm; middle vein obvious, triplinerved, net veins
inconspicuous; petiole green, 2.5–3 cm. Flower solitary, developing from the top of stem,
basic number 4–6, equaling to leaf number (or –1). Peduncle yellow-green, ca. 15 cm×2.5
mm. Sepals 4–6, ovate-lanceolate, yellow-green, ca. 3.5×2.5 cm. Petals 4–6, narrowly-linear
at lower portion, gradually widening to 2–3 mm at upper portion, greenish yellow, 6–9 cm,
longer than sepals. Stamens twice as many as the sepals, filaments yellow-green, 1.6–1.9 cm,
anther sacs yellow, 6–9 mm; free portion of connective acute at apex, nearly absent. Ovary
conic, green, with 4–6 longitudinal wings, carpels 4–6, unilocular with parietal placenta; style
purple, ca. 4 mm, with an enlarged base (transverse rim at the top of the ovary: see Takhtajan,
1983); stigmas 4–5-lobed, purple, erect; transverse rim at the top of the ovary polyhedral,
purple; ovules ovate, transparent, numerous, arranged along placentas. Flowering March to
May.
According to Li’s (1998) classification of Paris, Euthyra is the largest section, with eight
species occurring from northern Vietnam to central and eastern China. Compared with other
species in the section, P. caobangensis shows affinities with both P. vietnamensis, the
southernmost species in the genus, and P. birmanica from northern Myanmar. They share the

Table 1 Comparison of Paris caobangensis and related species
P. caobangensis Y. H. Ji, H. Li &
Z. K. Zhou
P. vietnamensis (Takht.) H. Li P. birmanica (Takht.) H. Li &
Noltie
Stem 30–35 cm tall more than 50 cm tall more than 50 cm tall
Leaf leaf blade ovate-lanceolate, ca.
9.5×4.5 cm, lateral veins 1 pair,
basely developed
leaf blade obovate, oblong, or
ovate, 15–26×10–17 cm, lateral
veins 2–3 paris, basely developed
leaf blade oblong to elliptic,
10–26×4–10 cm, lateral veins
3–4 pairs, basely developed
Sepal ovate-lanceolate, ca. 3.5×2.5 cm lanceolate or oblong, 3.5–10
×1.3–3.5 cm
lanceolate, 9–12×3–4 cm
Petal filiform at lower portion,
narrowly elliptic to lanceolate at
upper portion, yellow-green,
7–7.5 cm
filiform-linear, gently expanding
at the top, yellow-green, 3.5–10
cm
filiform at lower portion,
narrowly elliptic to lanceolate at
upper portion, purple, 7.5–11 cm
Stamen 2×petal number, filaments
yellow-green, free portion of
connective nearly absent
2–3×petal number, filaments
purple, free portion of connective
1–5 mm
3×petal number, filaments
yellow-green, free portion of
connective about 2–3 mm
Pistil style purple, transverse rim at the
top of the ovary polyhedral,
purple
style blue, transverse rim at the
top of the ovary stelliform, blue
style purple, transverse rim at the
top of the ovary polyhedral,
purple

Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica Vol. 44 702

Fig. 1. Paris caobangensis Y. H. Ji, H. Li & Z. K. Zhou. A, flowering plant; B, rhizome; C, leaf; D, flower; E, sepal; F,
petal; G, stamen; H, pistil; I, transverse section of ovary showing parietal placentation and ovules arranged along placentas.
Drawn by X. L. Wu from the holotype, Y. H. Ji 0127.

No. 6 JI Yun-Heng et al.：Paris caobangensis (Trilliaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam 703
than sepals, stamens ca. 25 mm long, the free portion of connective short or nearly absent,
apex acute, and ovary conic with 4–6 longitudinal wings. However, the new species is clearly
distinguished from these two species by having a shorter stem, an ovate-lanceolate and
triplinerved leaf blade, (ca. 9.5×4.5 cm), and stamens being twice as many as the petals. Some
other characters of the new species are intermediate between those of P. vietnamensis and P.
birmanica as shown in Table 1. Hence, the new species can be placed between these two
species. The new species was named after its type locality.
Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Mr. WU Xi-Ling for preparing the
illustration, and especially to Dr. Robert J. Soreng for his critical comments and help in
improving English.
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高平重楼——越南北部重楼属(延龄草科)一新种
纪运恒 李 恒* 周浙昆
(中国科学院昆明植物研究所 昆明 650204)
摘要 描述了越南北部高平省延龄草科Trilliaceae重楼属Paris一新种——高平重楼P. caobangensis Y.
H. Ji, H. Li & Z. K. Zhou。该新种形态与缅甸重楼P. birmanica (Takht.) H. Li & Noltie和南重楼P.
vietnamensis (Takht.) H. Li相似，因地上茎高仅30–35 cm，叶片卵状披针形，约9.5×4.5 cm，基出侧脉
一对，雄蕊数目为花瓣数目的2倍而区别于后二者。
关键词 重楼属; 高平重楼; 延龄草科; 新种; 高平; 越南