Research Paper
Ceropegia polytricha, a new species of Apocynaceae from Yunnan, China
Xing-Da Ma, Yi-Qiang Yin, Hou-Cheng Xi, Jian-Yong Shen
Published on: 30 January 2026
Page: 154 - 158
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2026.71.154
Abstract
Ceropegia polytricha, a new species from Yimen, Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. The species is presently placed in Ceropegia sect. Chionopegia. Morphologically, it is similar to C. dolichophylla and C. sinoerecta in its tubular corolla with a trichome ring at the throat of the dilated part, narrowly triangular corolla lobes, and interstaminal lobes that form a shallow basal cup and are divided into pairs of narrowly triangular teeth at the apex, but clearly differs in its densely pilose stems and leaf blades, and longer corolla lobes. A comparison table of related species is provided.
Keyword: Ceropegia dolichophylla, Ceropegia sect. Chionopegia, Ceropegia sinoerecta, morphology, distribution, Yimen
Literature Cited
Albers, F., Meve, U. 2002 Illustrated handbook of succulent plants: Asclepiadaceae. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 63–108.
Bruyns, P.V., Klak, C., Han??ek, P. 2017 A revised, phylogenetically-based concept of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae). S. Afr. J. Bot. 112: 399–436.
DOI: 10.1016/j.sajb.2017.06.021View Article
Google Scholar
Gilbert, M.G. 2020 Ceropegia. In: Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G., Venter, H.J.T. Apocynaceae (part 2). Flora Zambesiaca [Garc?a MA (ed.)] 7(3): 92–190. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Huber, H. 1957 Revision der Gattung Ceropegia. Mem?rias da Sociedade Broteriana 12: 1–203.
IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024 Guidelinesfor using the IUCN red list categories and criteria. ver. 16. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee.
Kambale, S.S., Yadav, S.R. 2019 Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae) in India. Rheedea 29(1): 1–115.
DOI: 10.22244/rheedea.2019.29.1.01View Article
Google Scholar
Kidyoo, M. 2021 Two New Species of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) on Limestone Hills in Northern Thailand. Trop. Nat. Hist. 21(1): 1–11.
DOI: 10.58837/tnh.21.1.245810View Article
Google Scholar
Kidyoo, M., Paliyavuth, C. 2017 Ceropegia thaithongiae sp. nov. (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) from northern Thailand and preliminary observations on impacts of climate change on its only known population. Nord. J. Bot. 35(3): 281–288.
DOI: 10.1111/njb.01340View Article
Google Scholar
Kishor, K., Rawat, G.S., Samant, S.S. 2022 A new species of Ceropegia L. (Apocynaceae) from Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 571(1): 85–90.
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.571.1.7View Article
Google Scholar
Li, P.T., Gilbert, M.G., Stevens, W.D. 1995 Asclepiadaceae In: Wu, Z.Y., Raven, P.H. (Eds.) Flora of China. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, 16: 189–270.
Luo, P.R., Rong, S.T., Zhao, X.J., Huang, X.H., Chen, J.T., Liu, Q., Zhang, X.J., Jiang, K.Z., Yang, W.G., Huang, G.Y., Deng, T. 2023 Ceropegia sunhangiana, a new species of Apocynaceae from Southwest China. Nord. J. Bot. 2023(9): e03999.
DOI: 10.1111/njb.03999View Article
Google Scholar
Luo, P.R.,Yang, Q.Y., Huang, X.H., Zhang, X.J., Tan, J.B., Tu, T.Y., Goyder, D.J., Gilber, M.G., Deng, T., Sun, H. 2024 Lectotypification of Ceropegia driophila (Apocynaceae) and proposal of Ceropegia paohsingensis as a heterotypic synonym. Nord. J. Bot. 2024(12): e04489.
DOI: 10.1111/njb.04489View Article
Google Scholar
Ma, X.D., He, K.H., Shi, J.P., Shen, J.Y. 2022a Ceropegia luzhiensis, a new species of Apocynaceae from Yunnan, China. Nord. J. Bot. 2022(4): e03505.
DOI: 10.1111/njb.03505View Article
Google Scholar
Ma, X.D., Xing, Y.W., Tan, Y.H., Li, J.W., Zhou, S.S., Ding, H.B., Shen, J.Y. 2022b Ceropegia jilongensis, a new species of Apocynaceae from Xizang, China. Taiwania 67(1): 93–96.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2022.67.93View Article
Google Scholar
Ma, X.D., Wang, W.G., Shi, J.P. , Shen, J.Y. 2023 Ceropegia eshanensis, a new species of Apocynaceae from Yunnan, China. Taiwania 68(1): 75–78.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2023.68.75View Article
Google Scholar
Meve, U., Liede, S. 2002 A molecular phylogeny and generic rearrangement of the stapelioid Ceropegieae (Apocynaceae–Asclepiadoideae). Plant Syst Evol 234(1): 171–209.
DOI: 10.1007/s00606-002-0220-2View Article
Meve, U., Liede, S. 2004 Subtribal division of Ceropegieae (Apocynaceae–Asclepiadoideae). Taxon 53(1): 61–72.
DOI: 10.2307/4135489View Article
Google Scholar
Meve, U., Liede, S. 2007 Ceropegia (Apocynaceae, Ceropegieae, Stapeliinae): paraphyletic but still taxonomically sound. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 94(2): 392–406.
DOI: 10.3417/0026-6493(2007)94[392:CACSPB]2.0.CO;2View Article
Google Scholar
Murugesan, M., Mao, A.A. 2021 Ceropegia ansariana (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae), a new species from Mizoram, Northeast India. Taiwania 66(2): 121?125.
DOI: 10.6165/tai.2021.66.121View Article
Google Scholar
Murugesan, M., Mao, A.A., Meitei, L.R., Kambale, S.S. 2019 Ceropegia khasiana (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae), a new species from Meghalaya, Northeast India. Gard. Bull. Singapore 71(2): 519–525.
DOI: 10.26492/gbs71(2).2019-17View Article
Google Scholar
Wu, Z.K., Cai, J., Cai, L., Liu, D.T. 2019 Ceropegia jinshaensis (Apocynaceae), a new species from northwestern Yunnan, China. PhytoKeys 130: 41–48.
DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.130.34311View Article
Google Scholar
Xie, G., Nong, D.X., Meng, T., Huang, Y.S. 2023 Notes on Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) in South China. J. Trop. Subtrop. Bot. 32: 263–271.

