Dictyolimon gilesii (Plumbaginaceae), a new generic record to China, with special reference to its first plastome

Dictyolimon (Plumbaginaceae, Caryophyllales) is a small genus with three currently accepted species. Nevertheless, its distribution remains poorly known, with records confined to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (Kashmir). During recent fieldwork on the eastern Pamir Plateau in China, we discovered a distinctive perennial herb, identifiable as Dictyolimon gilesii. This species is characterised by densely rosulate, coriaceous, obovate or spatulate leaves; spikelets with 3-10-flowers (typically 6), sessile; bifid petals; a pubescent calyx tube; styles free from the base; and oblique-capitate stigmas. This finding represents the first record of the genus Dictyolimon in China. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the ITS and trnY-trnT loci, further support our morphology-based conclusions. Additionally, we report the first complete plastome of Dictyolimon, which is 152,328 bp in length and contains 121 functional genes.

Dictyolimon gilesii new to China.