Researchers Find New Species of Artemisia in Xinjiang

Artemisia typically attracts extensive scientific interest because of its antimalarial properties, and other pharmacological and economic value. On August 2, 2023, Dr. JIN Guang Zhao from the Herbarium of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a new species of Artemisia —— Artemisia qingheensis G. Z. JIN in Xinjiang. This work was published in PhytoKeys on August 2.

The subgenus Seriphidium, one of the most diverse taxa in Artemisia, comprises ca. 130 species and 30 infraspecific taxa worldwide. This subgenus grows mainly in arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia and Northwest China. 31 species and six varieties have been recorded in China.

During a field expedition in the north-eastern region of the Junggar Basin, located in Xinjiang, China, a new population of Artemisia from Qinghe County was discovered. Researchers revisited this site at different times in 2021 and 2022 to carry out further observations and sampling to determine the taxonomic identity of the new population.

Subsequently, researchers found that the new species has multi-layered involucral bracts and homogamous capitula with bisexual flowers and therefore belongs to subgenus Seriphidium (Figure 1). Its hardened needle-like leaves at maturity distinguish it from morphologically similar species. Phylogenetic analyses also showed that the new species is different from other similar species and belongs to subgenus Seriphidium.

Following additional morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, researchers concluded that it is different from all other known species of Artemisia. Hence, it was described and illustrated as a new species —— Artemisia qingheensis (Figure 2). The discovery of this new species not only enriches the species diversity of subgenus Seriphidium, but also has great significance for the study of speciation and evolution and biogeography of Artemisia.

The study was done in collaboration with Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences MARIYA Sheludyakova.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China, the Science and Technology Basic Resources Survey special, Project of National Plant Specimen Resource Center, the Third Xinjiang Scientific Expedition Program, the institutional research project of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation under Agreement.

Article link: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.101689 

Figure 1. Morphological characteristics of Artemisia qingheensis G. Z. JIN (Image by JIN Guang Zhao)

Figure 2. Holotype sheet of Artemisia qingheensis sp. nov. (Image by JIN Guang Zhao)

Contact:

LIU Jie

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Phone: 0991-7885505

E-mail: liujie@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn/