New plant species discovered in central China’s Hubei Province

Researchers from the Wuhan Botanical Garden affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently discovered a new plant species, Astragalus bashanensis, in mountains located in the northwestern part of central China’s Hubei Province.

The plant was found in mountain areas at elevations of between 600 and 2,160 meters in Zhuxi county of Shiyan city and the Shennongjia forestry district in Hubei.

Photo shows Astragalus bashanensis plants. (Photo/CCTV News)

Researchers confirmed that the plant is a new Astragalus species. Li Xinwei, an associate researcher at the Wuhan Botanical Garden, said the discovery of the new plant species has further enriched researchers’ understanding of the diversity of Astragalus. The discovery is also of great significance for the systematic classification, evolution and development and utilization of the genus.

Recently, a research team led by Hu Guangwan from the Wuhan Botanical Garden published their findings on Veronicastrum wulingense, a new Veronicastrum species, in the journal Botanical Studies. The plant was discovered in the Pingbaying National Forest Park in the Wuling Mountains located in the southwest of Hubei. It is the first species belonging to Veronicastrum discovered and named by the research team, as well as the only finding of a new species belonging to Veronicastrum published in the Chinese mainland over the past nearly 40 years.

Photo shows a Veronicastrum wulingense plant, a newly discovered species inside the Pingbaying National Forest Park in the Wuling Mountains in the southwestern part of central China's Hubei Province. (Photo/Hu Guangwan)

The discovery reflects the diversity of habitats in the Wuling Mountains and is of great significance to the study of speciation, evolution and biogeography of Veronicastrum in East Asia.