Phylogenetic and taxonomic studies of six recently-described species (Caryophyllaceae) from China, with an additional new species, , from Sichuan.

The phylogenetic studies of the tribe Alsineae (Caryophyllaceae) have revealed a clearer boundary between the genus and related genera, primarily relying on the morphological characteristics of style 3, stamens 10 and petals deeply bifid. However, the newly-published species in China, which have 5 styles or ten or more lobes per petal, challenge this boundary and necessitate further studies. In this paper, we reviewed six newly-published Chinese species of , utilising both molecular phylogenetic evidence from nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and four plastid regions (, , , ) and morphological evidence. Our results demonstrated that the five new species (, , , and ) were nested within the genus , but was sister to the genus . Herein, we accepted four new species and proposed a new combination in and a new synonym in . Additionally, we described a new species from Sichuan Province, China, which was distinguished from the closely-related species by its glabrous body, linear-lanceolate leaves, long pedicellate flowers, prostrate growth habit and flowers nearly equal to or slightly shorter than sepals. Both molecular and morphological evidence support the treatment of as a new species of the genus .