Ranunculus Yuexiensis (Ranunculaceae): A New Species From Dabie Mountains, China, Based on Plastome and Morphological...

A new species of Ranunculaceae, Ranunculus yuexiensis, is described and illustrated from the Dabie mountains, China. R. yuexiensis is similar to R. ternatus in having root tubers. However, it can be readily distinguished from R. ternatus by its simple and fewer basal leaves, larger flower size, long petioles on the lower stem leaves, and puberulent (vs. glabrous) carpels and achenes. The complete plastomes of this new species are 155,537-156,009 bp in length and exhibit a typical quadripartite structure. Phylogenetic analysis, based on plastome data, shows that R. yuexiensis is closely related to R. ternatus, which is consistent with our morphological analysis.