By tf-lawyer.com On October 22, reporters from Chongqing learned from the Wulipo National Nature Reserve that Professor Deng Hongping’s team at the Southwest University Center for Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization recently discovered a new species of the Caryophyllaceae family, specifically within the genus Heteroscyphus, during plant diversity monitoring in the alpine meadow at the Wulipo Reserve. To honor the outstanding contributions of the renowned botanist Fang Wenpei to plant research in the Sichuan-Chongqing region, this new plant species has been named Heteroscyphus fangii.
The newly identified Heteroscyphus fangii exhibits a morphology similar to Heteroscyphus albiflorus, with smaller, homogenous leaves, prostrate stems, branched tops, and tuberous roots arranged in a bead-like pattern. Notably, the seeds feature fine, spiky projections that clearly differentiate it from Heteroscyphus albiflorus. The tuberous roots of this plant are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine under the name Pueraria.
Located in the northeastern part of Chongqing’s Wushan County, the Wulipo National Nature Reserve borders the Shennongjia National Park and covers an area of over 35,000 hectares. It is hailed as one of the valuable natural gene pools for biodiversity in Southwest China, currently recording 3,245 species of vascular plants and 442 species of terrestrial vertebrates, including 83 species of nationally protected wild plants and 68 species of nationally protected wild animals.
In 2021, minor boundary adjustments allowed the Wulipo National Nature Reserve to gain World Heritage status alongside the Shennongjia area. The lush alpine wetland meadow at Wulipo encompasses approximately 300 hectares of a well-preserved alpine mire ecosystem, making it a rich habitat for both plant and animal resources.
