Nanocnide simingshanensis (Urticaceae), a New Species from Zhejiang, Eastern China

In this paper, Nanocnide simingshanensis is described as a new species based on morphological and molecular analyses, and its taxonomic relationships are discussed. The new species is currently known only from the Siming Mountain region of Yuyao County and the Yaolin National Forest Park of Tonglu County, both in Zhejiang Province, eastern China, where it grows in shrubs at an elevation of about 650 m under deciduous broad-leaved forests and at a limestone cave entrance. Morphological analysis strongly supports that N. simingshanensis should be classified into the genus Nanocnide. This species is distinguished from the related species N. pilosa and N. lobata by having long straight hirsute hairs perpendicular to the stem, petioles and peduncles, longer petioles, larger leaf blades, and female inflorescences developing on branchlets. It differs from N. zhejiangensis and N. japonica by having glomerulate male inflorescences shorter than leaves (vs. cymose inflorescences longer than leaves). Nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that N. pilosa and N. lobata are the closest extant relatives to the new species.