Pyrus zhaoxuanii X. W. Yi, B. B. Liu & Q. Fan, 2025

Pyrus zhaoxuanii X. W. Yi, B. B. Liu & Q. Fan sp. nov.

Figs 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 Chinese name. 昭璇梨 View Figure 6

Type.

China. • Guangdong Province, Shaoguan City, Danxiashan National Nature Reserve , 25°0'28.26"N, 113°39'42.80"E, alt. 380 m, 24 February 2024, Y. Y. Wu et al. DNPC 4016 (holotype: SYS!; isotypes: SYS!, PE!) GoogleMaps .

Diagnose.

Pyrus zhaoxuanii is similar to P. calleryana , but can be differentiated by its small, obovate leaves, short petioles, pronounced stem thorns, and shrubby habit.

Description.

Deciduous shrubs or small trees, 2–5 m high, with lateral branches; bark dark gray to brownish with vertical splits; much-branched; Twigs smooth, spiny, covered with linear lenticels. Leaf buds long ellipsoid, with 5–7 hairy scales outside. Leaves fascicled on short branches; petiole 2–12 mm long; Leaf blade obovate, rarely elliptic, (14) 19–31 (45) × (7) 10–15 (23) mm, margin obtusely serrate, base cuneate, apex blunt or round, rarely acuminate, leathery in quality. Corymb 2–8 flowered, receptacle cup-shaped, covered with short hairs; sepals are triangular, ca. 4 mm long, woolly, with rust-colored velutinous on the margins, bending downwards at the apex; flower 12–17.5 (29.5) mm in diameter; Petals 5, 5–8 × 5–6 mm, pure white, glabrous, obovate, margin slightly sinuate, apex rounded; filament 3–7 mm long; anthers purple to pink; style 2, 4–6.5 mm long, glabrous; flower stalk (19) 21–35 mm long. Pome small, spheroid, reddish-brown to brownish-black, ca. 1 cm long; fruiting pedicel 18–36 mm long. Seeds ovate, blackish, ca. 2 × 5 mm.

Phenology.

Flowering was observed from February to March, while fruiting occurred from September to October.

Etymology.

Pyrus zhaoxuanii is named in honor of Prof. Zhao-Xuan Zeng (1921–2007), a famous geographer of South China Normal University, who made significant contribution to the study of danxia landscape.

Distribution and habitat.

The new species is currently known only from its type locality, Mount Danxiashan, Renhua County, Guangdong Province, China. It typically grows on steep slopes at altitudes of 200–600 m above sea level.

Conservation status.

The new species is a common shrub found on the steep slopes of Mount Danxia. Most individuals are located within the Danxia Nature Reserve, which is well protected, and we observed no active threats or ongoing declines in population size. According to the Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, v. 16 ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024), we suggest classifying P. zhaoxuanii as Least Concern (LC).

Additional specimens examined

(Paratypes): China. • Guangdong Province, Shaoguan City, Danxiashan National Nature Reserve , 113°39'50.56"N, 25°0'27.81"E, alt. 328 m, 24 February 2024, Y. Y. Wu et al. DNPC 4014 ( SYS!) GoogleMaps ; China. • Guangdong Province, Shaoguan City, Danxiashan National Nature Reserve , 24°58'28.73"N, 113°44'10.29"E, alt. 285 m, 26 September 2023, Y. Y. Wu & Q. Fan 102 ( SYS!) GoogleMaps .