New Rhamnaceae species discovered in SW China

BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have discovered a new species of Rhamnaceae in Sichuan Province in southwest China, according to the Chengdu Institute of Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

An expedition team from the institute found this species in a warm-dry valley of the Jinsha River during China's second scientific research survey on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and was unable to classify it to any existing Rhamnaceae group.

On the basis of literature review and specimen comparison, they identified it as a new species of Colubrina, belonging to Rhamnaceae, and named it after an honorable researcher called Liu Zhaoguang -- Colubrina zhaoguangii.

The new species is the third known Chinese Colubrina species. Compared with the other two, it features by the habit of twisted shrub and tiny leaves with markedly notched apex.

The researchers published their findings in the journal Ecosystem Health and Sustainability.