Meconopsis sect. Bellae Fedde, Pflanzenr. (Engler)

Xiao, Wei & Simpson, Beryl B., 2017, A New Infrageneric Classification of Meconopsis (Papaveraceae) Based on a Well-supported Molecular Phylogeny, Systematic Botany (Basel, Switzerland) 42 (2), pp. 226-233 : 231-232

Meconopsis sect. Bellae Fedde, Pflanzenr. (Engler) 40 (IV.104): 261. 1909. Meconopsis ser. Bellae (Fedde) G. Taylor, Account Gen. Meconopsis : 103. 1934.— TYPE: M. bella Prain.

Monocarpic or polycarpic perennials with taproots; frequently less than 25 cm tall, rarely exceeding 50 cm at anthesis (except in Meconopsis sinuata that ranges from 30–65 cm in height). Leaves and stems most frequently sparsely vestitured with weak non-barbellate trichomes or subglabrous, rarely aculeate with sharp bristles. Leaves senescing during the winter; lamina variable in shape and margin type, frequently less than 7 cm long (rarely exceeding 15 cm). Flowers born on basal scapes or arranged in simple cyme with 2–8 flowers in axils of upper cauline leaves. Petals 4–8, commonly pale blue to pale purple-blue, sometimes pink or yellow. Ovary usually ellipsoid to oblong, or narrowly ellipsoidal to narrowly subsylindric sometimes subspherical, usually subglabrous or with sparse bristles; style distinct, usually short, but sometimes longer than the ovary; stigma capitate. Capsules obovoid or narrowly obovoid to narrowly subcylindrical. The only known chromosome number ( M. bella ) is 2 n 5 22.

Included Species — Meconopsis argemonantha Prain ; M. bella Prain ; M. florindae Kingdon-Ward ; M. lyrata (H. A. Cummins & Prain) Fedde ; M. primulina Prain ; M. sinuata Prain ; M. wumungensis K. M. Feng ; M. zangnanensis L. H. Zhou.

Species in this section tend to have a dwarf and slender aspect with short root and weak stem as well as a brittle and sparse indumentum. Although blue flowers are common in this section, most species tend to be more pale or faded than the bright blue color present in other sections. Meconopsis sinuata in this section is morphologically distinct being taller than other species and armed with dense spines. Unsurprisingly, M. sinuata used to be grouped with species in our M. sect. Aculeatae (e.g. in M. sect. Aculeatae in Fedde 1909, or M. ser. Aculeatae in Taylor 1934). However, it is easy to distinguish living plants of M. sinuata from species of M. sect. Aculeatae by the shape of ovary and style and especially by the leaf morphology (see the Key to Sections).

Meconopsis bella , another species in our M. sect. Primulinae, was traditionally placed in its own section (i.e. M. sect. Bellae in Fedde 1909 and Grey-Wilson 2014) or series (i.e. M. ser. Bellae in Taylor 1934), all based on its unique characteristic of a bell-shaped ovary. However, the general morphology (e.g. height, leaf shape, flower arrangement, petal color) of M. bella matches that of our M. sect. Primulinae and phylogenetic result supports the inclusion of M. bella in M. sect. Primulinae, which indicate that the unique feature of having a bell-shaped ovary does not warrant special status.