Abstract. Adenophora ningxianica is described, and its relationships to A. wawreana Zahlbruckner and A. gmelinii (Sprengel) Fischer are discussed.

The name Adenophora ningxianica Hong, which first appeared in Hong (1983) and subsequently in many local Chinese floras, was not validly published because it was not accompanied by a Latin description or diagnosis. It is herein validated, and a detailed description in English is provided.

Adenophora ningxianica Hong ex Ge & Hong, sp. nov. TYPE: China. Ningxia: Ala (Helan) Mountains, Taszekow, 1600 m, 28 Aug. 1933, Y. Y. Pei 120 (holotype, PE).

Species similis A. wawreanae et A. gmelinii, sed ab illa differt foliis sessilibus glabris, capsula tenui cylindrica ca. 8 mm longa, seminibus majoribus; ab hac differt corolla parva et angusta, stylo exserto, calycis lobis angustis parvis et nigro-callosis.

Perennial herbs. Stems 30--50 cm tall, several from base, unbranched, erect, glabrous, rarely pubescent. Basal leaves cordate or obovate; cauline leaves alternate, sessile or short petiolate; leaf blade 2--7 cm long, 0.2--1.8 cm wide, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or rarely linear, glabrous on both surfaces, base cuneate, margin serrate. Inflorescences few-flowered racemes or panicles. Pedicel 0.5--1.5 cm long, slender. Calyx tubes obovoid, glabrous; calyx lobes 2--6 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, subulate or subulate-lanceolate, margin mostly with a pair of small verrucate teeth or rarely entire. Corolla 1.4--1.6 cm long, narrowly campanulate, blue or purplish blue; lobes ca. 3.5 mm long, ovate-triangular. Disc 2--2.5 mm long, tubular, glabrous. Style 1.6--1.8 cm long, slightly exserted. Capsule ca. 8 mm long, ca. 3 mm diam., long ellipsoid. Seeds ca. 2 mm long, yellow, oblong, with a winglike ridge. Flowering July--August, fruiting September--October.

Adenophora ningxianica is most closely related to A. wawreana Zahlbruckner and A. gmelinii. From these, it differs in having a narrower corolla, a slightly exserted style, sessile or short-petiolate and glabrous cauline leaves, smaller calyx lobes with toothed margins, slender capsules, and larger seeds. Adenophora wawreana has a broadly campanulate corolla, a distinctly exserted style, pubescent cauline leaves with petioles ca. 2.5 cm long, 4--10-mm-long calyx lobes, broader capsules, and seeds 0.8--1.2 mm long. Adenophora gmelinii differs from A. ningxianica in having a broadly campanulate corolla, a slightly included style, entire and wider calyx lobes, and broader capsules 4--7 mm in diameter.

Paratypes. CHINA. Ningxia: Helan Mt., Suyukou, Y. Q. He 7315 (PE); Helan Mt., Wudaotai, Yellow River Exped. 8950 (PE); Helan Mt., Gilawu Vellay, Group He 255 (PE). Gansu: Lanzhou, Xinlong Mt., Y. Q. He 5390 (PE).

Acknowledgments. We are grateful to Yang Qin-er for revising the Latin diagnosis and Ihsan Al-Shehbaz for his help with the manuscript. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (Youth) of China (grant #39600009).

Literature Cited

Hong De-yuan. 1983. Adenophora. In: Hong De-yuan (editor), Campanulaceae. Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 73(2): 92--140.