China. Anhui: Chuzhou City, Langya District, Langya Mountain, 32°16'39"N, 118°17'12"E, Altitude: 147 m, 10 Apr 2020, Yin Feng Hu & Jian Wen Shao HYF20041003 (holotype: ANUB, 008492, Fig. 6; isotypes: ANUB, 008491, 008493).

Most similar to P.cyrtonema, but differs in racemose inflorescence, cylindrical and glabrous filaments and apex not saccate convex.

Rhizome moniliform, rarely tuberous moniliform, 1.5–2.5 cm thick. Stem arching, 40–80 cm, glabrous and not angled. Leaves 14–22, alternate; petiole short or nearly sessile; leaf blade elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 8–13 × 4–6 cm, apex usually acuminate. Inflorescences raceme, (1)2–3(4)-flowered; peduncle 1–2 cm; bracteoles borne on the middle part of pedicel, subulate, < 2 mm or absent. Flowers pendulous, pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm long. Perianth yellowish-green, campanulate-cylindrical, 1.7–2.2 cm long; lobes ca. 3 mm long, excurved. Filaments inserted near the distal 1/3 of the perianth tube, cylindrical and extending inwardly, 3–6 mm long, smooth, apex without saccate-convex. Anthers 3.5–4.0 mm long. Ovary 4–6 mm in diam.; style 1.2–1.5 cm long. Berries black, ca. 1.2–1.5 cm in diam., 9–15 seeded.

Flowering from mid-March to early April and fruiting from May to September.

The specific epithet praecox alludes to early flowering of the new species as compared to Polygonatumcyrtonema, a morphologically similar species. The Chinese name of the new species is here given as 早花黄精 (Zǎo huā huáng jīng).

Currently, Polygonatumpraecox is known from more than 10 populations and it is fairly widely distributed in middle-eastern China (Fig. 1). This species often occurs near valley streams under forest shade and on gravel or soil with good water permeability between elevations of 50 m to 1200 m.

(paratypes). China. Anhui: Langya District, Langya Mountain, alt. 200 m, 3 Jul 1964, Anonymous, 101383 (JSPC); Langya District, Langya Mountain, 4 May 1957, Teng Yan Chang, 0305591 (KUN). Zhejiang: Linan County, Changhua, alt. 1080 m, 17 Jun 1957, Deng Lin Bing 00223701 (NAS); Linan County, Tianmu Mountain, 18 May 1955, Yuan Chang Qi 00553413 (NAS). Hubei: Yinshan County, Wujiashan Forest Farm, alt. 1070 m, 06 Apr 2015, Chen Bin 0092527 (CSH); Yinshan County, alt. 815 m, 26 Apr 2015, Ge Bin Jie 0092551 (CSH). Henan: Song County, Xihe River, 8 May 1972, Anonymous, 00223667 (PE); Neixiang County, Baotianman Nature Reserve, 28 Aug 2008, Liu Meng Ya 0003911 (HEAC). Shaanxi: Shanyang County, Jiashi Gorge, Banyan Town, 26 July 2009, Li En Feng 010008 (XBGH).

Near Threatened. Polygonatumpraecox is relatively common in middle-eastern China. As it is similar to P.cyrtonema in morphology and these two species occasionally co-exist in the wild, this new species is usually recognised as P.cyrtonema and has been exploited for medicinal or edible purposes. Its wild resources have clearly decreased in recent years. Therefore, we classify it as Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN Red List Criteria (IUCN 2019).