全 文 ：热带亚热带植物学报　2015， 23(2)： 133 ~ 143
Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany
Received: 2014–10–27　　　　Accepted: 2014–12–17
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
中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(四)：五花翠雀花
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，发现根据云南中甸标本描述的毛茛科五花翠雀花(Delphinium quinqueflorum W. T. Wang)与当地
颇为常见的澜沧翠雀花(D. thibeticum Finet & Gagnep.)没有本质区别，仅为其稍矮小的植株，故将前者处理为后者的异名。
关键词： 翠雀属； 毛茛科； 分类学
doi: 10.11926/j.issn.1005–3395.2015.02.003
Taxonomic Studies on the Genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from China
(IV): The Identity of D. quinqueflorum
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 quinqueflorum W. T. wang
(Ranunculaceae) described from Zhongdian, Yunnan, China, is no more than a smaller form of D. thibeticum Finet
& Gagnep., a species very common in that area. We therefore reduce D. quinqueflorum to the synonymy of D.
thibeticum.
Key words: Delphinium; Ranunculaceae; Taxonomy
In 2014, Wang[1] described Delphinium quinque-
florum W. T. Wang on the basis of a single specimen,
Kham Exped. 10-3093 (PE; Fig. 1), from Xianggelila
(=Zhongdian), northwestern Yunnan, China. In the
protologue, he stated that the species was closely
related to D. sinoscaposum W. T. Wang in the leaves
all basal, finely dissected, and glabrous, and in the
staminode limb only sparsely puberulent on ventral
surface, not yellow barbate, but differed by having
flowers ca. 5 (vs. 1), petals glabrous (vs. ciliate), apex
slightly acute (vs. emarginate), and ovaries sparsely
pilose (vs. sericeous) on ventral suture.
Since its description in 1957[2] under the name
Delphinium scaposum W. T. Wang, a later homonym
of D. scaposum Greene, D. sinoscaposum (Fig. 2) has
been known only from Baoxing, western Sichuan,
China[3–5]. As has happened pretty frequently with
him, Wang[1], in describing D. quinqueflorum as new,
appears to have not first tried to seek a putative close
ally from the neighborhood of the type locality of the
new species. Instead he chose a species geographically
more or less far away to compare with it. In stating
that D. quinqueflorum was similar to D. sinoscaposum,
it is evident that Wang overlooked D. thibeticum Finet &
Gagnep. (Fig. 3), a fairly common species in Zhongdian,
the type locality of D. quinqueflorum. In fact, Wang[3]
134 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 1 Delphinium thibeticum. A: Kham Exped.10-3093 (holotype of D. quinqueflorum, PE), Xianggelila (=Zhongdian), Yunnan, China; B: The living
plant from which the specimen Kham Exped.10-3093 was pressed (photographed by Dr. You-sheng Chen, one of the participants of the expedition).
Fig. 2 Specimens of Delphinium sinoscaposum. A: K. L. Chu 3606 (holotype, PE), Baoxing, Sichuan, China; B: K. L. Chu 3606 (isotype, SZ).
第2期 135
Fig. 3 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum. A: J. E. Soulié 3049 (lectotype, P), Batang, Sichuan, China; B: J. E. Soulié 3049 (isolectotype, P); C: H.
Handel-Mazzetti 4100 (holotype of D. thibeticum var. schizopyllum, WU), Lijiang, Yunnan, China; D: J. E. Soulié 3044 (lectotype of D. thibeticum
var. subintegrum, P), Batang, Sichuan, China.
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(四)：五花翠雀花的名实订正
136 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
had previously described D. pycnocentroides W. T.
Wang in 1962 on the basis of six collections from
northwestern Yunnan, including T. T. Yu 15504, K. M.
Feng 9033 (Fig. 4: A, B), 21402 from Lijiang, and T.
T. Yu 13585 (Fig. 5), 13822, K. M. Feng 2125 (Fig. 6)
from Zhongdian, and also described D. pycnocentroides
var. latisectum W. T. Wang on the basis of C. W. Wang
66226 (Fig. 7) from Zayu, southeastern Xizang, an area
closely contiguous to northwestern Yunnan. It was Wang[4]
himself who had correctly reduced both of them in 1979
to the synonymy of D. thibeticum. As shown in Figures
4–8, D. quinqueflorum is not essentially different from
D. thibeticum in any characters. The flower number in
D. thibeticum is highly variable (Figs. 4, 8), ranging
from three to over 50. Delphinium quinqueflorum,
which was described as having four or five flowers,
just falls within the range of variation of D. thibeticum
in this character. Delphinium sinoscaposum is indeed
similar to D. thibeticum in some characters such as the
leaf dissection and the position of bracteoles (in both
species the bracteoles subtend the flower), but differs
by having 1–3 flowers terminal on the scape and
sericeous ovaries, and by the less robust, dwarf habit.
It is to be noted that Wang[1] stressed D. sinoscaposum
had only one flower on the scape, but our field
observation has shown that it has 1–3 flowers. The two
species also have different distributional ranges (Fig. 9);
D. thibeticum is widely distributed in western Sichuan,
northwestern Yunnan, and southeastern Xizang, whilst
D. sinoscaposum, as mentioned above, is restricted to
Baoxing in western Sichuan.
Based on the degree of leaf dissection, Wang[4]
recognized two varieties under Delphinium thibeticum,
i.e., var. thibeticum and var. laceratilobum W. T. Wang
(Fig. 10). The latter is different from the typical one
by the central segment of the leaf blade distally 2 or 3 ×
(vs. 1 or 2 ×) dissected, and ultimate lobules many
(vs. few), triangular to lanceolate (vs. narrowly ovate
to lanceolate-linear). Interestingly, as shown in Figure
9, both varieties are geographically adjacent to each
other but not overlapping.
On the basis of the above analyses we make the
following treatment.
Delphinium thibeticum Finet & Gagnep. in Bull.
Soc. Bot. France 51: 489. 1904; W. T. Wang in Acta
Bot. Sin. 10: 158. 1962; Munz in J. Arn. Arb. 49: 81.
1968; W. T. Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 27:
436. 1979; et in Fl. Xizang. 2: 54. 1985; et in Vas. Pl.
Hengduan Mount. 1: 490. 1993; et in Fl. Yunnan. 11:
138. 2000; W. T. Wang & M. J. Warnock in Fl. China
6: 264. 2001; Q. Yuan & Q. E. Yang in Acta Phytotax.
Sin. 41: 558. 2003. Type: China. Sichuan: Batang,
Yargong, grassland, Jun.–Aug. 1903, J. E. Soulié
3049 (lectotype, here designated, P!, P00201121;
isolectotypes, P!).
1a. var. thibeticum
D. thibeticum var. subintegrum Finet & Gagnep.
in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 51: 489. 1904; W. T. Wang
in Acta Bot. Sin. 10: 157. 1962. Type: China. Sichuan:
Batang, Zambala and Yargong, scrub, Jul.–Sept.
1903, J. E. Soulié 3044 (lectotype, here designated P!,
P00201112).
D. thibeticum var. schizopyllum Hand.-Mazz.,
Symb. Sin. 7: 275. 1931. Type: China. Yunnan: Lijiang,
Yulong Shan, 1914–1916, H. Handel-Mazzetti 4100
(holotype, WU!).
D. pycnocentroides W. T. Wang in Acta Bot. Sin.
10: 163. 1962; Munz in J. Arn. Arb. 49: 77. 1968.
Type: China. Yunnan: Lijiang, Yulong Shan, Liu’ougu,
grassland, 3600 m, Aug. 15, 1942, K. M. Feng 9033
(holotype, PE!; isotype, KUN!).
D. pycnocentroides var. latisectum W. T. Wang
in Acta Bot. Sin. 10: 163. 1962. Type: China. Xizang:
Zayu, Kalaikabao, 3500 m, Sept. 1935, C. W. Wang
66226 (holotype, PE!, isotypes, KUN!, LBG!, PE!).
D. quinqueflorum W. T. Wang in Bull. Bot. Res.
(Harbin) 34: 581. 2014. syn. nov. Type: China. Yunnan:
Xianggelila (=Zhongdian), Nixi Xiang, Yagong Xue
Shan, grassy slope at forest margins, alt. 3750 m, Aug.
31, 2010, Kham Exped. 10-3093 (PE!).
Additional specimens examined. China. Sichuan:
Batang, J. E. Soulié 3893 (P), 3895 (P), 3896 (P),
3897 (P); Derong, D. E. Boufford et al. 30825 (PE);
Muli, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 14013 (KUN, PE);
Xiangcheng, D. E. Boufford 28959 (PE), Qinghai-
Xizang Exped. 4645 (CDBI, PE), 4649 (CDBI, KUN,
第2期 137
Fig. 4 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum. A: K. M. Feng 9033 (holotype of D. pycnocentroides, PE), Lijiang, Yunnan, China; B: K. M. Feng 9033
(isotype of D. pycnocentroides, KUN); C: Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 151 (PE), Lijiang, Yunnan, China; D: Q. E. Yang 94124 (PE), same locality.
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(四)：五花翠雀花的名实订正
138 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 5 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum. A–C: T. T. Yu 13585 (paratypes of D. pycnocentroides, PE), Zhongdian, Yunnan, China; D: T. T. Yu 13585
(paratype of D. pycnocentroides, KUN).
第2期 139
Fig. 6 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum. A, B: K. M. Feng 2125 (paratypes of D. pycnocentroides, PE), Zhongdian, Yunnan, China; C, D: K. M.
Feng 2125 (paratypes of D. pycnocentroides, KUN).
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(四)：五花翠雀花的名实订正
140 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 7 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum. A: C. W. Wang 66226 (holotype of D. pycnocentroides var. latisectum, PE), Zayu, Xizang, China; B: C. W.
Wang 66226 (isotype of D. pycnocentroides var. latisectum, PE); C: C. W. Wang 66226 (isotype of D. pycnocentroides var. latisectum, LBG); D: C. W.
Wang 66226 (isotype of D. pycnocentroides var. latisectum, KUN).
第2期 141
Fig. 8 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum, showing variation in flower number of the smaller plants. A: J. E. Soulié 3897 (P), Batang, Sichuan,
China; B: J. E. Soulié 3895 (P), same locality; C, D: Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 85 (PE), Deqen, Yunnan, China.
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(四)：五花翠雀花的名实订正
142 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 10 Specimens of Delphinium thibeticum var. laceratilobum. A: Qinghai-Xizang Veg. Exped. 9752 (holotype, PE), Jomda, Xizang, China; B: Q. W.
Meng & H. Y. Xie s.n. (PE), Dege, Sichuan, China.
Fig. 9 Distribution of three taxa of Delphinium from China: D. thibeticum var. thibeticum (●), D. thibeticum var. laceratilobum (▲), and D.
sinoscaposum (★).
第2期 143
PE), 4761 (PE), Sichuan Veg. Exped. 1270 (CDBI,
PE), 3211 (CDBI, KUN, PE), 3256 (CDBI, KUN,
PE), 3513 (CDBI, KUN, PE). Yunnan: Between
Lijiang and Yongning, J. F. Rock 17338 (PE), 17378
(K); Deqen, Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 85 (PE); Lijiang,
R. C. Ching 30566 (KUN, PE), K. M. Feng 21402
(KUN, PE), G. Forrest 2866 (K), 6643 (PE), 15233
(K), Mclaren 165 (K), H. Ohba et al. 746 (KUN), C.
Ren & L. Y. Wang 449 (IBSC), J. F. Rock 5787 (PE),
C. Schneider 2278 (K), W. T. Wang s.n. (PE), R. L.
Xiong & Y. F. Qi 610475 (KUN), Q. E. Yang 94124
(PE), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan151(PE), 170 (PE), 2664
(IBSC), Q. E. Yang et al. 3197 (IBSC), T. T. Yu 15504
(KUN, PE); Without precise locality, Anonymous
21042 (PE), 21234 (PE); Zhongdian, K. M. Feng
2125 (KUN, PE), H. Handel-Mazzetti 7671 (GH,
WU), H. Sun 9033 (KUN), M. Tang & C. Ren 742
(IBSC), J. S. Yang s.n. (PE), 84-758 (PE), Q. E. Yang
& H. Z. Kong 98-209 (PE), 98-301(PE), Q. E. Yang
& Q. Yuan 18 (PE), 71 (PE), Q. E. Yang et al. 3088
(IBSC), T. T. Yu 13585 (KUN, PE), 13822 (KUN,
PE), Zhongdian Exped.1334 (KUN, PE). Xizang:
Zayu, Qinghai-Xizang Exped.10989 (KUN).
Distribution and habitat. Delphinium thibeticum
var. thibeticum is distributed in southwestern Sichuan,
northwestern Yunnan, and southeastern Xizang, China
(Fig. 9). It grows on grassy slopes or in open woods at
altitudes of 2800–3800 m above sea level.
1b. var. laceratilobum W. T. Wang in Fl. Reipubl.
Popularis Sin. 27: 615 et 437. 1979; et in Fl. Xizang.
2: 55. 1985; et in Vas. Pl. Hengduan Mount. 1: 490.
1993; W. T. Wang & M. J. Warnock in Fl. China 6:
265. 2001. Type: China. Xizang: Jomda, rocky valley,
3700 m, Aug. 25, 1976, Qinghai-Xizang Veg. Exped.
9752 (holotype, PE!).
Additional specimens examined. China. Sichuan:
Dege, Anonymous 252 (PE), Dege Exped. 567 (PE),
Z. X. Tang et al. 600 (PE); Luhuo, D. E. Boufford et
al. 27757 (PE); Xinlong, D. E. Boufford et al. 37285
(PE). Xizang: Gonjo, Qinghai-Xizang Veg. Exped.
9627 (PE), J. S. Yang 91-523 (KUN, PE); Jomda, D. E.
Boufford et al. 31571 (PE), Qinghai-Xizang Exped.
12549 (KUN, PE), C. Y. Wu 6162 (PE), Q. E. Yang &
Q. Yuan 458 (PE); Qamdo, D. E. Boufford et al. 32413
(PE).
Distribution and habitat. Delphinium thibeticum
var. laceratilobum is distributed in northwestern Sichuan
and eastern Xizang (Fig. 9). It grows on rocky, grassy
slopes in valleys at altitudes of 3200–3850 m above
sea level.
Acknowledgments　　We are grateful to the curators of GH,
IBSC, K, KUN, LBG, P, PE, and WU for the permission to use
their scanned images of specimens and for research facilities.
We thank Dr. You-sheng Chen (PE) for his help in the course
of preparing the manuscript and Ms. Hui-min Li (IBSC) for
making the illustrations.
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袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(四)：五花翠雀花的名实订正