CAS Scientists Discover New Endemic Agapetes Species in Yunnan, China
Published:12 Sep.2023 Source:Chinese Academy of Sciences
Recently, researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a new species of rhododendron while surveying plants in Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province. After morphological analysis, the researchers confirmed it was a new species unknown to science and named it Agapetes lihengiana, in honor of Professor Li Heng from the Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS.
Agapetes lihengiana is an evergreen climbing shrub found at elevations of 2,100-2,200 meters in subtropical broadleaf forests. Currently, only two populations have been discovered, with very limited distribution. According to IUCN Red List criteria, researchers assessed the conservation status of this species as vulnerable.
The research was published in the botanical journal Taiwania. The discovery of Agapetes lihengiana enriches the taxonomic knowledge of the genus Agapetes and our understanding of the floristic geography of Yunnan. It is of significant scientific value.