Iris liupanshanensis H. T. Li, Z. Z. Zhang & T. Y. Zuo sp. nov.

Fig. 5

Diagnosis.

This new species is morphologically similar to I. ventricosa, but differs by its broader leaves (10–12 mm vs. 3–4 mm), longer and narrower bracts (10–13 × 0.9–1.5 cm vs. 6–8 × 2.5–4 cm), and larger flowers in diameter (8–9 cm vs. 6–7 cm).

Type.

China • Ningxia, Guyuan City, Yuanzhou District, Gujiang Road, on the grassland of the hillside; 2085 m; 35°57.1140'N, 106°8.1287'E; 17 June 2025 (fl); Z. Z. Zhang ZZZ-GJL-001 (holotype: NAS!, isotype: SG!).

Description.

Perennial caespitose herbs with persistent old leaf bases; sheaths subterranean, dark brown, rigid. Roots tough, straight descending, unbranched. Leaves linear, grey-green, 55–75 cm × 10–12 mm, with ca. 10 inconspicuous veins. Flowering stems 25–40 cm tall, terete, with a single sheathing leaf at the base. Bracts 3, herbaceous, green, margin membranous, broadly lanceolate, 10–13 × 0.9–1.5 cm, 2 - flowered. Flowers deep pink, 8–9 cm in diam.; pedicel 3–7 cm long; perianth tube 0.5–0.7 cm long; sepals spreading, pandurate, 5–6.5 × 0.8–1 cm, limb reflexed downward, central part of limb cream to pale yellow, velvety, not smooth; petals erect, oblanceolate, 5–6.3 × 1.5–2.0 cm; stamens ca. 3.4 cm long, filament ca. 8 mm long, anthers yellow, ca. 2.6 cm long; style branches slightly curved-arching, ridge deep pink, both sides white, margin membranous, ca. 4.5 × 1.5 cm, apex lobed, reflexed upward, lobes linear-broadly triangular, ca. 1.4 cm × 5 mm; stigmatic lip bilobed; ovary cylindric, 4.5–5.5 cm long, with a neck 2.5–3.1 cm long. Capsule oblong-ovoid, 5–7 × ca. 2 cm, base rounded, apex long-acuminate, beak 2–3 cm long. Seeds 4–5 mm, irregularly globose; testa wrinkled. Flowering June, fruiting July – August.

Distribution and ecology.

I. liupanshanensis is distributed in the Liupan Mountains region (spanning the eastern part of Gansu Province and the southern part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China), growing in open or semi-open montane grasslands (Fig. 6).

Etymology.

The specific epithet “ liupanshanensis ” is derived from the type locality of the species, which is located in the northern section of the Liupan Mountains.

Preliminary conservation status.

According to the IUCN (2024) Red List Categories and Criteria, I. liupanshanensis is preliminarily assessed as Data Deficient (DD) due to currently insufficient information. Its overall distribution range, population size, and specific threats are currently unknown. Targeted field surveys are therefore urgently required to collect data on population dynamics and habitat status, which would enable a more accurate future assessment.