全 文 ：In 1983, Wang[1] described Delphinium yanwaense
W. T. Wang on the basis of a collection, K. Y. Lang
et al. (= Beijing Inst. Bot. Hengduan Mount. Exped)
1325 (PE; Fig.1: A, B), from Weixi, northwestern
Yunnan, China. In the protologue, he compared it with D.
tongolense Franch., a species fairly common in western
Sichuan and somewhat disjunctively occurring in
central Yunnan (Songming), stating that it differed
from D. tongolense in the stem lower, ca. 30 cm
tall, only basally puberulent, glabrous elsewhere, the
leaves smaller, 3.5 –4.5 cm long, 4.5 –5.5 cm broad,
the inflorescence 3–5-flowered with the axis glabrous,
the pedicels puberulent only at apex, and the stamen
filaments sparsely puberulent.
The characters given for Delphinium yanwaense,
particularly the glabrous stem, inflorescence axis and
pedicels, however, are reminiscent of D. yuanum Chen, a
species very common in northwestern Yunnan, and also
occurring in the adjacent southeastern Xizang (Zayu)
and western Sichuan (Daocheng, Xiangcheng). Since its
description, D. yuanum had long been known only from
its type collection, i.e. T. T. Yu 12490 from Zhongdian
中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(七)：岩瓦翠雀花
的名实订正
袁琼, 杨亲二*
(中国科学院华南植物园，中国科学院植物资源保护与可持续利用重点实验室，广州 510650)
摘要： 通过标本室和野外观察，发现根据云南西北部维西标本描述的毛茛科岩瓦翠雀花(Delphinium yanwaense W. T. Wang)与
云南西北部颇为常见的中甸翠雀花(D. yuanum Chen)没有本质区别，故将前者处理为后者的异名。中甸翠雀花在叶的分裂程度
上变异颇大。
关键词： 翠雀属； 毛茛科； 分类学
doi: 10.11926/j.issn.1005–3395.2015.05.001
Taxonomic Studies on the Genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from
China (VII): The Identity of D. yanwaense
YUAN Qiong, YANG Qin-er*
(Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Guangzhou 510650, China)
Abstract: Both herbarium and field observations have shown that Delphinium yanwaense W. T. Wang described
from Weixi in northwestern Yunnan, China, is not essentially different from D. yuanum Chen, a species very
common in northwestern Yunnan and highly variable in the degree of leaf division. We therefore reduce the former
to the synonymy of the latter.
Key words: Delphinium; Ranunculaceae; Taxonomy
热带亚热带植物学报　2015， 23(5)： 479 ~ 491
Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany
Received: 2014–12–01　　　　Accepted: 2015–02–06
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31470303) and the Science and Technology Basic Work (2013FY112100).
* Corresponding author. E-mail: qeyang@scib.ac.cn
480 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
in northwestern Yunnan. In 2010 Yuan[2] found this
is due to that all other specimens belonging to it had
been misidentified as D. tenii H. Lév., which was
synonymous with D. tatsienense Franch. Delphinium
tatsienense is widely distributed in western Sichuan,
and northeastern and central Yunnan. It is readily
distinguishable from D. yuanum, among other
characters, by the stem, inflorescence axis and
pedicels all densely retrorsely puberulent.
Wang[3] in 1979 noted, under the name Delphinium
tenii, that D. yuanum is highly variable in the degree of
leaf division. This can be easily seen from herbarium
specimens and has also been confirmed by our field
observations. In particular, individuals with less divided
leaves (Figs. 1 –4) often appear in the populations
growing in the valley of the Lanchang (Mekong) River
(Yanwa, the type locality of D. yanwaense, is situated
in the valley). Delphinium yanwaense is evidently no
more than such a form of D. yuanum. Indeed, it is
regrettable that, in describing D. yanwaense as new in
1985, Wang[1] forgot his previous correct observation
on the high variability in the degree of leaf division of
D. yuanum.
In 1962 Wang[4] described Delphinium dolicho-
centrum W. T. Wang on the basis of a series of specimens
from northwestern Yunnan (Deqen, Lanping, Weixi;
three paratype sheets are shown in Fig. 1: C, D and
Fig. 2: D), but in 1979 Wang[3] himself reduced it to
the synonymy of D. tenii, which, as mentioned above,
is a misapplied name for D. yuanum. In 1979 Wang[5]
described D. obcordatilimbum W. T. Wang var. minus
W. T. Wang on the basis of a collection, Sichuan Veg.
Exped. 2100 (CDBI, KUN, PE; Fig. 5). Wang and
Warnock[6] in 2001 reduced it to the synonymy of D.
tenii. Yuan[2] in 2010 transferred both D. obcordati-
limbum var. minus and D. dolichocentrum from the
synonymy of D. tenii to the synonymy of D. yuanum.
After examining the type material we adopt this
treatment herein.
It is far from understandable to us that Wang[1]
compared his Delphinium yanwaense with D. tongolense.
As shown in Figure 1: A, B and Figure 6, in general
aspect they are so different from each other that we
consider they are only distantly related. We will deal
with D. tongolense in detail in another paper of this
series.
Based on the above analyses we consider it reasonable
to place Delphinium yanwaense in synonymy with D.
yuanum.
Delphinium yuanum Chen in Bull. Fan Mem. Inst.
Biol., n.s., 1: 176. 1948; W. T. Wang in Acta Bot. Sin.
10: 163. 1962; Munz in J. Arn. Arb. 48: 543. 1967, p.p.;
W. T. Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 27: 434. 1979;
et in Vas. Pl. Hengduan Mount. 1: 489. 1993; et in Fl.
Yunnan. 11: 137. 2000; W. T. Wang & Warnock in Fl.
China 6: 263. 2001; Q. Yuan in J. Wuhan Bot. Res. 28:
17. 2010. Type: China. Yunnan, Zhongdian, suburb of
county town, grassland, 3000 m, Jul. 27, 1937, T. T. Yu
(holotype, KUN!; isotypes, A !, KUN!, PE!).
D. dolichocentrum W. T. Wang in Acta Bot. Sin. 10:
162. 1962. Type: China. Yunnan: Deqen, Chienalungna,
grassland, 3100 m, Aug. 28, 1937, T. T. Yu 9885
(holotype, PE!; isotypes, KUN!, PE!).
D. obcordatilimbum var. minus W. T. Wang in Fl.
Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 27: 616. 1979. Type: Sichuan:
Daocheng, Julongxiang, Walongshe, grassland, 2800 m,
Jul. 12, 1973, Sichuan Veg. Exped. 2100 (holotype,
PE!; isotypes, CDBI!, KUN!, PE!).
D. yanwaense W. T. Wang in Acta Bot. Yunnan.
5: 157. 1983; et in Vas. Pl. Hengduan Mount. 1: 484.
1993; et in Fl. Yunnan. 11: 124. 2000; W. T. Wang &
Warnock in Fl. China 6: 252. 2001. syn. nov. Type:
China. Yunnan, Weixi, Yanwa, eastern side of Biluo
Shan, on rocks, 2700 m, Jul. 11, 1981, K. Y. Lang et al.
(= Beijing Inst. Bot. Hengduan Mount. Exped) 1325
(holotype, PE!; isotypes, PE!).
D. tenii auct. non H. Lév.: Munz in J. Arn. Arb.
48: 538. 1967, p.p.; W. T. Wang in Fl. Reipubl.
Popularis Sin. 27: 431. 1979; et in Vas. Pl. Hengduan
Mount. 1: 489. 1993; et in Fl. Yunnan. 11: 135. 2000;
et in Guihaia 17: 8. 1997; W. T. Wang & Warnock in
Fl. China 6: 263. 2001.
Additional specimens examined. Sichuan: Xiang-
cheng, Anonymous 1086 (CDBI), D. E. Boufford et
al. 28550 (PE), 28847 (PE), 29062 (PE), J. Dong
第5期 481
Fig. 1 Specimens of Delphinium yuanum, all from Yanwa, Weixi, Yunnan, China. A: K. Y. Lang et al. (= Beijing Inst. Bot. Hengduan Mount.
Exped) 1325 (holotype of D. yanwaense, PE); B: K. Y. Lang et al. 1325 (isotype of D. yanwaense, PE); C, D: K. M. Feng 4980 (paratypes of D.
dolichocentrum, KUN).
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482 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 2 Specimens of Delphinium yuanum, all from Huanfuping, Deqen, Yunnan, China. A–C: K. M. Feng 23692 (KUN); D: C. W. Wang 68397 (paratype
of D. dolichocentrum, PE).
第5期 483
Fig. 3 Specimens of Delphinium yuanum, all from Adeng, Deqen, Yunnan, China. A, B: Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 2940 (PE); C, D: Qinghai-Xizang
Exped. 2940 (KUN).
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484 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 4 Specimens of Delphinium yuanum, all from Tse-Kou, Deqen, Yunnan, China. A–D: Monbeig s.n. (P).
第5期 485
Fig. 5 Specimens of Delphinium yuanum, all from Daocheng, Sichuan, China. A: Sichuan Veg. Exped. 2100 (holotype of D. obcordatilimbum
var. minus, PE); B: Sichuan Veg. Exped. 2100 (isotype of D. obcordatilimbum var. minus, PE); C: Sichuan Veg. Exped. 2100 (isotype of D.
obcordatilimbum var. minus, CDBI); D: Sichuan Veg. Exped. 2100 (isotype of D. obcordatilimbum var. minus, KUN).
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(七)：岩瓦翠雀花的名实订正
486 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 6 Specimens of Delphinium tongolense. A: J. A. Soulié 2383 (P), Ta-tsien-lou (= Kangding, type locality of D. tongolense), Sichuan, China; B: D. E.
Boufford et al. 30800 (PE), Xiangcheng, Sichuan, China; C: D. E. Boufford et al. 35880 (PE), Yajiang, Sichuan, China; D: Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 193,
Songming, Yunnan, China (PE).
第5期 487
28835 (CDBI), T. T. Yu 13336 (KUN, PE). Xizang:
Zayu, C. W. Wang 65186 (KUN, LBG, PE). Yunnan:
Deqen, Anonymous 2940 (CDBI, KUN), K. M. Feng
5725 (KUN, PE), 23692 (KUN), K. Y. Lang et al.
(= Beijing Inst. Bot. Hengduan Mount. Exped) 3722
(PE), Monbeig s.n. (P, PE), Qinghai-Xizang Exped.
3616 (CDBI, PE), H. Sun & Z. G. Qian 692 (KUN),
X. W. Tian 82 (13) (PE), T. T. Yu 10221 (KUN, PE),
10303 (KUN, PE), 10432 (IBSC, KUN, PE), 10504
(PE), C. W. Wang 64707 (IBSC, NAS, PE, WUK),
64733 (PE), 69117(NAS, PE), 69174 (IBSC, LBG,
PE, WUK), 69397 (KUN, PE), C. Y. Wu 4372 (KUN),
L. Xie DQ03 (PE), DQ04 (PE), DQ05 (PE), Q. E.
Yang & H. H. Kong 3233 (IBSC), 3243 (IBSC), Q. E.
Yang & Q. Yuan 97 (PE); Lanping, H. T. Tsai 56240
(IBSC, KUN, LBG, NAS, PE); Weixi, K. M. Feng
4980 (KUN, PE), C. W. Wang 68051(LBG, NAS, PE,
WUK), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 36 (PE), 37 (PE), 43
(PE); Without precise locality, H. T. Tsai 57505 (IBSC,
KUN, LBG, PE); Zhongdian, Anonymous s.n. (PE),
K. M. Feng 23213 (KUN, PE), J. S. Yang s.n. (KUN),
8204 (KUN), Q. E. Yang & H. H. Kong 3005 (IBSC),
Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 1 (PE), 5 (PE), 6 (PE).
Notes. In general aspect, Delphinium yuanum is
similar to D. mosoynense Franch., a species common
in northwestern Yunnan, but differs by the stem, inflor-
escence axis and pedicels all glabrous (vs. densely
appressed puberulent, sometimes mixed with yellow,
glandular hairs). It is also close to the widespread Sino-
Himalayan D. kamaonense Huth, but in the latter the
pedicels are always densely retrorsely puberulent.
In the protologue of Delphinium yuanum, Chen[6]
designated T. T. Yu 12490 as the type but did not
specify the herbarium in which the holotype sheet was
conserved. Yuan[2] stated that it was deposited in PE,
but actually neither of the two sheets in PE were
annotated by Chen himself (Wang[4] mentioned that
only an isotype was kept in PE). One of the two
sheets in KUN, however, was annotated by Chen in
his hand as “Delphinium yuanum, sp. nov.”, and thus
we consider it to be the holotype (Fig. 7).
It is worth noting that the spurs of the upper
sepals in the flowers of the type collection of Delphinium
yuanum appear to be somewhat shorter than those in the
other collections of the species. We think this is due to
the immatureness of the flowers in the type collection.
As shown in Figure 8, one of the three specimens from
Xiangcheng in western Sichuan identified as D. tenii
(Fig. 8: C) is indistinguishable from the other two
that were identified as D. yuanum (Fig. 8: A, B); their
spurs are all relatively long and straight. Interestingly,
a specimen from Dawu in western Sichuan, which was
identified as D. yuanum (Fig. 8: D) due to the short,
upcurved spurs, actually belongs to D. orthocentrum
Franch., a species occurring in northwestern Sichuan
(Hongyuan, Lixian, Nanping, Pingwu, Songpan). As
mentioned before, since its description D. yuanum had
been known only from its type collection for a long
time until Yuan[2] found that all the other specimens
belonging to the species had been misidentified as
D. tenii, a synonym of D. tatsienense. Indeed, it is
totally inconceivable that the “typical” D. yuanum,
with so showy, attractive flowers (Fig. 7) and with
its type collection made as early as in 1937 from the
suburb of the county town of Zhongdian, an area very
well botanized, could have escaped all the later plant
collectors and had long been represented only by
its type material in the major Chinese herbaria such
as KUN and PE. We cannot agree more with Davis
and Heywood[7] who wrote in 1963 that “It is only
names that have types, not species” and that “Lack
of exact agreement with the original description or
type specimen certainly does not mean that the new
material necessarily represents a different species.
Allowance must be made for population variability.”
Delphinium yuanum, as pointed out by Chen[8],
is an elegant plant with horticultural value (Fig. 9). As
the plant can grow well in dry, hot places at relatively
low elevations in the valley of the Lanchang River
in northwestern Yunnan, it should not be difficult to
grow elsewhere.
Distribution and habitat. Delphinium yuanum
is distributed in northwestern Yunnan, southwestern
Sichuan (Daocheng, Xiangcheng) and southeastern Xizang
(Zayu)，China (Fig. 10). It usually grows in thickets or
on rocky, grassy slopes at altitudes of 1900–3400 m.
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488 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 7 Holotype sheet of Delphinium yuanum, T. T. Yu 12490 (KUN), suburb of county town, Zhongdian, Yunnan, China.
第5期 489
Fig. 8 Specimens of Delphinium yuanum (A– C) and D. orthocentrum (D). A: D. E. Boufford et al. 28550 (PE), Xiangcheng, Sichuan, China; B: D. E.
Boufford et al. 28847(PE), same locality; C: D. E. Boufford et al. 29062 (PE, previously misidentified as D. tenii), same locality; D: D. E. Boufford et
al. 27710 (PE, previously misidentified as D. yuanum), Dawu, Sichun, China.
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490 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 9 Delphinium yuanum in the wild. A: Habitat; B: Habit; C: Inflorescences. Photographed by Q. Yuan from Napahai, Zhongdian, Yunnan, China.
第5期 491
Fig. 10 Distribution of Delphinium yuanum (●).
Acknowledgments　　We are grateful to an anonymous reviewer
for the invaluable comments on the manuscript, and to the
curators of A, CDBI, IBSC, KUN, LBG, NAS, P, PE, and WUK
for the permission to use their scanned images of specimens
and for research facilities. We thank Ms. Hui-min Li and Mr.
Yu Hong for the preparation of illustrations.
References
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袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(七)：岩瓦翠雀花的名实订正