A scientific research team from Guangxi has discovered a new species in the Gesneriaceae family in Taishan, Jiangmen, Guangdong, which has been named Primulina taishanensis. The findings have been published in the international journal Kew Bulletin.
The species displays a range of corolla colors and shows considerable horticultural potential. However, only about 5,000 to 8,000 mature individuals have been recorded, and it has been preliminarily classified as Vulnerable (VU), underscoring the urgent need for stronger conservation efforts.
In July 2021, researchers from institutions including the Guangxi Institute of Botany and Guizhou University first discovered wild populations of the plant during a botanical survey in and around the Gudoushan Provincial Nature Reserve in Jiangmen, Guangdong. After several years of comparative studies, the researchers confirmed it to be a species previously unknown to science.
Primulina taishanensis is a perennial acaulescent herb. Its corolla gradually transitions from white to pinkish purple, with most individuals displaying dark purple markings inside the corolla.
So far, the species has only been found in two wild populations in Duhu Town, Taishan City, and the population remains small. According to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, it has been preliminarily assessed as Vulnerable, with its conservation status approaching the threshold for the Endangered (EN) Category B classification.
Author | He Fengyu
Photo | Guangxi Institute of Botany
