%A DONG Hong-Jin, PENG Hua %T Relationships within the Lonicera macrantha Complex Based on Morphological and Molecular Data %0 Journal Article %D 2014 %J Plant Diversity %R 10.7677/ynzwyj201413094 %P 133-141 %V 36 %N 02 %U {https://journal.kib.ac.cn/CN/abstract/article_33295.shtml} %8 2014-03-25 %X
Being one of the most complicated groups in Lonicera (Caprifoliaceae) and distributed mainly in southern China, the Lonicera macrantha complex comprises five species, ie. Lmacrantha, Lmacranthoides, Lsimilis, Lhypoglauca and Lferruginea. The complex is also found to be the main substitute of Ljaponica for Jin Yin Hua in southern China. To clarify the relationships within the complex, investigation of morphology and habitat of each species, observation of microfeatures of leaf epidermis, and molecular phylogenetic analysis were carried out. The results show that only L. macranthoides can be easily distinguished by phylogenetic methods, and that the complex can be roughly divided into three groups based on morphological characters: Lhypoglauca is distinct in its mushroomshaped glands and long trichomes on leaf epidermis; Lferruginea is close to Lmacrantha in the thin trichomes, but they differ in length of corolla tube and stomatal structure; Lmacranthoides is morphologically similar to Lsimilis in the dense trichomes, but they can be distinguished by characters of cuticular membrane. Further studies on resolving the speciation and species dispersal within the complex are still needed.