The Persea group is a subset of the Lauraceae, including seven currently recognized genera, Alseodaphne Nees, Apollonias Nees, Dehaasia Bl., Machilus Rumph. ex Nees, Nothaphoebe Bl., Persea Mill., and Phoebe Nees, which contain a total of 400 to 450 species. Alseodaphne consists of fifty species or more.

Researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted an exploratory trip to Yunnan, China, and collected a questionable plant possibly belonging to Alseodaphne. The finding was published in PLoS ONE.

Using DNA sequence data in addition to morphological data, researchers assessed the phylogenetic relationships of the genus Alseodaphne distributed in southwest China. Based on both morphological and molecular evidence, they proposed a new genus Alseodaphnopsis, separated from the traditional genus Alseodaphne, to accommodate the independent Alseodaphne clade II including most of the species distributed in the northern margin of tropics in southwest China (including the new species, Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis).

The new genus Alseodaphnopsis H. W. Li et J. Li is obviously very close to the genus Alseodaphne Nees (s. str.), but differs from the latter morphologically by having thick twigs which are not obviously whitish in color, usually perulate terminal buds, perianth lobes ± persistent at least in young fruit, relatively large inflorescences with 3–4 orders of branching, and medium to large size (3–5 cm) fruits without ribs.

Alseodaphnopsis includes nine species, mainly distributed in the northern marginal part of the tropical zone in southwest China, but extending also to NE India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. It is generally known that the species grow preferentially in forests on limestone mountains.

Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis H. W. Li & J. Li sp. nov. A. Branchlet with inflorescences; B. Branchlet with immature infructescences;  C. Branchlet with mature fruits; D-F. Mature fruits; G-H. Flowers. (Image by J.W. Li)