全 文 ：热带亚热带植物学报　2015， 23(3)： 268 ~ 276
Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany
Received: 2014–11–10　　　　Accepted: 2015–02–02
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(五)：秋翠雀花二
新异名
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，发现根据四川西南部越西标本描述的毛茛科凉山翠雀花(Delphinium liangshanense W. T. Wang)
和根据四川西南部木里标本描述的光轴翠雀花(D. leiostachyum W. T. Wang)只是此前记载分布于四川木里、盐源和云南西北部
宁蒗一带的秋翠雀花(D. autumnale Hand.-Mazz.)植株较高的类型，故将二者均处理为秋翠雀花的异名。
关键词： 翠雀属； 毛茛科； 分类学
doi: 10.11926/j.issn.1005–3395.2015.03.006
Taxonomic Studies on the Genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from
China (V): Two New Synonyms of D. autumnale
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: Delphinium liangshanense W. T. Wang and D. leiostachyum W. T. Wang (Ranunculaceae) were
described respectively from Yuexi and Muli in southwestern Sichuan, China. Both herbarium and field observations
have shown that they represent no more than a taller form of D. autumnale Hand.-Mazz., a species previously
recorded to occur in southwestern Sichuan (Muli, Yanyuan) and northwestern Yunnan (Ninglang). We therefore
reduce them to the synonymy of D. autumnale.
Key words: Delphinium; Ranunculaceae; Taxonomy
In 1931, Handel-Mazzetti[1] described Delphinium
autumnale Hand.-Mazz. (Ranunculaceae) on the basis
of a collection of his own, Handel-Mazzetti 5495
(E, WU; Fig.1: A, B), from Yanyuan, southwestern
Sichuan, China. For a long time this species had not
been well understood because it was known only from
the type material. In 1962, Wang[2], in dealing with
all the Chinese species of Delphinium L. for the first
time, recognized D. autumnale as an independent
species, but stated that he just saw a photograph of its
holotype. In 1967, Munz[3] included the species in his
paper “A synopsis of the Asian species of Delphinium,
sensu stricto”, mentioning that he had only examined
an isotype kept in E (Fig. 1: B). In describing
D. autumnale, Handel-Mazzetti compared it with D.
likiangense Franch. and D. beesianum W. W. Smith, but
the latter two species are so distinct from it that the
comparison is not very helpful for the determination of
its identity with certainty. In 1979, without giving any
reason, Wang[4] reduced D. autumnale to the widespread
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Fig. 1 Specimens of Delphinium autumnale. A: H. Handel-Mazzetti 5495 (holotype, WU), Yanyuan, Sichuan, China; B: H. Handel-Mazzetti 5495
(isotype, E); C: X. W. Tian 103 (PE), Ninglang, Yunnan, China; D: H. H. Kong et al. 3340 (IBSC), same locality.
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Sino-Himalayan D. kamaonense Huth as a variety, i.e.
var. autumnale (Hand.-Mazz.) W. T. Wang. In 1983,
Wang[5] found a specimen, X. W. Tian et al. 103 (PE;
Fig. 1: C) from Ninglang in northwestern Yunnan, an
area closely contiguous to Yanyuan in southwestern
Sichuan, the type locality of D. autumnale, to match
exactly the original description of the species. Based
on this specimen he regarded D. autumnale as
representing probably a transition between D. subsect.
Ceratophora W. T. Wang and D. subsect. Grandiflora
W. T. Wang. He pointed out that D. autumnale was
most closely similar to D. pseudohamatum W. T.
Wang, a species within the former subsection, in the
inflorescence and flower characters, but very similar
to D. kamaonense and D. grandiflorum L., two species
within the latter subsection, in the leaves finely
dissected with the ultimate lobules narrowly linear
and in the suborbicular limbs of the staminode as
well. He stressed that D. autumnale was different
from D. kamaonense and D. grandiflorum by the
leaves mostly basal, the stem leaves absent (if present
then very small), the inflorescence fewer-flowered,
the flowers larger, and the spur of the upper sepal
recurved (he did not discuss the differences between
D. autumnale and D. pseudohamatum). As a result,
he came to the conclusion that D. autumnale was a
distinct species within D. subsect. Ceratophora, and
thus immediately resurrected its specific status. This
treatment has been adopted by Wang[6–7] and Wang
and Warnock[8].
In 1979, Wang[9] described Delphinium liangshanense
W. T. Wang on the basis of a collection, Sichuan
Med. Pl. Resour. Exped. 26197 (Fig. 2), from Yuexi
in southwestern Sichuan. He compared it with D.
ceratophoides W. T. Wang, a species described from
northwestern Yunnan and yet imperfectly known (only
known from the type material). After comparing their
type specimens we found D. liangshanense is identical
Fig. 2 Specimens of Delphinium autumnale. A: Sichuan Med. Pl. Resour. Exped. 26197 (holotype of D. liangshanense, NAS), Yuexi, Sichuan, China; B:
Sichuan Med. Pl. Resour. Exped. 26197 (isotype of D. liangshanense, SM).
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Fig. 3 Specimens of Delphinium autumnale, all from Muli, Sichuan, China. A: L. H. Liu s. n. (holotype of D. leiostachyum, PE); B, C: Qinghai-Xizang
13215 (PE); D: S. K. Wu 3373 (PE).
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(五)：秋翠雀花二新异名
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with D. autumnale in all essentials except for the slight
difference in stature. Delphinium liangshanense appears
to be somewhat taller than the typical D. autumnale.
In 1987, Wang[10] described another species,
Delphinium leiostachyum W. T. Wang, on the basis of a
single specimen, L. H. Liu s. n. (Fig. 3: A), from Muli,
southwestern Sichuan, which is closely contiguous
to Yanyuan, the type locality of D. autumnale.
He compared it with D. dolichocentroides W. T. Wang
from Muli and also with the very widespread, highly
variable D. grandiflorum. Similar to the case with D.
liangshanense, our comparison of their type specimens
has also shown that D. leiostachyum is identical with
D. autumnale in all essentials except for the
slight difference in stature. Delphinium leiostachyum
appears to be somewhat taller than the typical D.
autumnale.
After examining the type material and other
specimens of Delphinium autumnale we agree with
Wang[5] to treat it as an independent species within
D. subsect. Ceratophora. Its leaves are usually
remote from each other on the stem; the leaf blade is
finely dissected, with the primary lobes so close to
each other that the basal sinus very narrow and the
ultimate lobules narrowly linear; the stem is densely
strigose at base, but glabrous or only very sparsely
hispid in median and upper parts; the pedicels are
glabrous, only densely yellow puberulent distally. On
a botanical expedition to southwestern Sichuan and
northwestern Yunnan in 2005, we found the species
to be fairly common in Muli and its adjacent areas.
On a rocky, grassy slope at Kangwuliangzi (misspelt
as Kangduoliangzi by Wang[6]) in Muli, the type
locality of D. leiostachyum, we discovered a large
population of D. autumnale consisting of plants of
various heights. In the neighborhood we discovered
another two large populations also consisting of plants
of various heights. In an open rocky and grassy place
in Ninglang, northwestern Yunnan, we discovered
a large population of D. autumnale with the plants
being more robust than those in the Muli populations.
As shown in Figures 1–6, D. autumnale is somewhat
variable in stature and in the presence or absence
of stem leaves, and in these two characters both D.
liangshanense and D. leiostachyum fall within the
range of variation of D. autumnale. It is evident that
when Wang[5] in 1983 reinstated the specific status of
D. autumnale he did not fully understand the species
because his understanding, as mentioned above, was
based on only a single specimen.
Based on the above analyses, we consider it
justifiable to reduce both Delphinium liangshanense
and D. leiostachyum to the synonymy of D. autumnale.
Taxonomic treatment
Delphinium autumnale Hand.-Mazz. in Symb.
Sin. 7: 276. 1931; W. T. Wang in Acta Bot. Sin. 10:
274. 1962; Munz in J. Arn. Arb. 48: 503. 1967; W.
T. Wang in Acta Bot. Yunnan. 5: 161. 1983; et in
Vas. Pl. Hengduan Mount. 1: 489. 1993; et in Fl.
Yunnan. 11: 131. 2000; W. T. Wang & Warnock in
Fl. China 6: 260. 2001. —— D. kamaonense var.
autumnale (Hand.-Mazz.) W. T. Wang in Fl. Reipubl.
Popularis Sin. 27: 449. 1979. Type: China. Setschwan
(=Sichuan) austro-occid.: in montis Hwang-liangdse,
inter oppidum Yenyuen et castellum Kwapi regione
frigide temperata, in pascuis et ad bambuseta, 3600–
3900 m, Oct. 5, 1914, H. Handel-Mazzetti 5495 (holo-
type, WU!; isotype, E!).
D. liangshanense W. T. Wang in Fl. Reipubl.
Popularis Sin. 27: 615 et 425. 1979; W. T. Wang &
Warnock in Fl. China 6: 259. 2001. syn. nov. Type:
China. Sichuan: Yuexi, Biji Shan, grassy slope, 3000 m,
Oct. 4, 1960, Sichuan Med. Pl. Resour. Exped. 26197
(holotype, NAS!; isotype, SM!).
D. leiostachyum W. T. Wang in Bull. Bot. Res.,
Harbin 7(2): 96. 1987; et in Vas. Pl. Hengduan Mount.
1: 490. 1993; W. T. Wang & Warnock in Fl. China
6: 262. 2001. syn. nov. Type: China. Sichuan: Muli,
Kangwuliangzi, alpine scrub, 3600 m, Aug. 21, 1983,
L. H. Liu s. n. (holotype, PE!).
Additional specimens examined. China. Sichuan:
Muli, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 13215 (PE), S. K. Wu
3373 (PE), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 337 (PE), 339 (PE),
341(PE); Yanyuan, Y. Luo & Y. S. Chen 510 (PE), H.
H. Kong et al. 3369 (IBSC). Yunnan: Ninglang, H.
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Fig. 4 Specimens of Delphinium autumnale, all from Muli, Sichuan, China. A–D: Q. Yuan & Q. E. Yang 337 (PE).
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(五)：秋翠雀花二新异名
274 第23卷热带亚热带植物学报
Fig. 5 Specimens of Delphinium autumnale, all from Muli, Sichuan, China. A–D: Q. Yuan & Q. E. Yang 339 (PE).
第3期 275
Fig. 6 Specimens of Delphinium autumnale, all from Ninglang, Yunnan, China. A–D: Q. Yuan & Q. E. Yang 363 (PE).
袁琼等：中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(五)：秋翠雀花二新异名
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H. Kong et al. 3340 (IBSC), X. W. Tian 103 (PE), Q.
Yuan & Q. E. Yang 361 (PE), 363 (PE).
Notes. In general aspect and geographical
distribution, Delphinium autumnale may be most
closely related to D. dolichocentroides W. T. Wang, a
species described from Muli in southwestern Sichuan
and yet imperfectly known because of the lack of
enough herbarium material. In D. dolichocentroides,
the two primary lateral lobes of the leaf blade are less
close to each other and thus the basal sinus of the leaf
blade appears to be broader, and all the three primary
lobes are less dissected, with the ultimate lobules slightly
broader and apically less acute. Their true relationship
needs a further study.
Distribution and habitat. Delphinium autumnale
is distributed in southwestern Sichuan (Muli, Yanyuan,
Yuexi) and northwestern Yunnan (Ninglang), China
(Fig. 7). It usually grows in scrub or on grassy, rocky
slopes at altitudes of 3000–3900 m.
Fig. 7 Distribution of Delphinium autumnale (●).
Acknowledgments　　We are grateful to the curators of E,
IBSC, KUN, NAS, PE, SM and WU for the permission to use
their scanned images of specimens and for research facilities.
We thank Ms. Hui-min Li for the preparation of illustrations.
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