Petrodesmum, a new genus of the legume tribe Desmodieae from Laos
Kai-Wen Jiang, Jun Zhang, Shi-Jin Li, Zhu-Qiu Song

TL;DR
A new plant genus called Petrodesmum is described from Laos, based on genetic and morphological analysis of a species previously classified under Desmodium.
Contribution
The paper introduces Petrodesmum, a new genus in the legume tribe Desmodieae, based on phylogenetic and morphological evidence.
Findings
Desmodium vidalii forms a distinct clade separate from related genera like Grona and Hylodesmum.
Petrodesmum is proposed as a new genus to accommodate Desmodium vidalii based on unique morphological and genetic traits.
A taxonomic key to 29 Desmodieae genera in Laos is provided.
Abstract
Recent molecular evidence has revealed that Desmodium (Fabaceae: Desmodieae), as traditionally defined in Legumes of the World, is highly polyphyletic and has now been subdivided into 18 distinct genera. The currently circumscribed Desmodium is primarily distributed in the Americas, with only one species native to Africa and none naturally occurring in Asia. Approximately one-third of the Asian species formerly classified under Desmodium have been reassigned to the recently resurrected genus Grona. The Laotian species Desmodium vidalii, which was originally placed in Desmodium subg. Podocarpium (now treated as Hylodesmum and Monarthrocarpus), was recently transferred to Grona. However, this species exhibits a suite of distinctive morphological and ecological traits—such as a herbaceous habit with short zigzag stems, leaves bearing an exceptionally long petiole and a long rachis of the…
Genes, proteins, chemicals, diseases, species, mutations and cell lines named across the full text — each resolved to its canonical identifier and authoritative record.
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Taxonomy
TopicsPlant Diversity and Evolution · Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions · Botanical Research and Chemistry
