Silene nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén 2023

Lidén, Magnus & Oxelman, Bengt, 2023, FLORA OF NEPAL NOTULAE IV: NEW SPECIES AND RESURRECTED NAMES IN SILENE, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 80 (367), pp. 1-28 : 17-18

6. Silene nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén , comb. nov.

Basionym: Melandrium nyalamense L.H.Zhou, Fl. Xizang. 1: 727 (1983). – Type: Tibet, Nyalam , 4000 m, 5 ix 1972, Tibet herbal medicine census 1832 (holotype HNWP 30689 , isotype PE 00558365 ). Figure 5A–G .

“ Melandrium cashmerianum ” sensu Zhou (1983) and “ Silene cashmeriana ” sensu Zhou et al. (2001 p.p, non Silene cashmeriana (Royle ex Benth.) Majumdar ).

Rootstock stout, vertical. Stems above with dense glandular and eglandular hairs, lower half with only eglandular recurved hairs or subglabrous. Flowering stems few to several, erect, 20–40 cm, with 5 or 6 pairs of leaves, simple or branched. Leaves green or greyish green with distinct midvein; lowermost leaves petiolate, often withered at flowering time, middle and upper leaves sessile. Lower and middle leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, acute to usually slightly acuminate, 20–50 mm long, 5–15 mm broad, sparsely to densely hairy (always dense on midvein and margin), with short hairs 0.1–0.15 mm long (longer cilia towards the base). Upper leaves sessile, lanceolate, 20–40 × 4–10 mm. Inflorescence terminal

3- to 5-flowered; axillary 1- to 3-flowered. Bracts like uppermost leaves or smaller, densely ciliate; bracteoles minute. Flowers ± nodding. Pedicels 2–5 mm long, or up to 11 mm in alar flowers. Calyx campanulate, 9–10 × 5–6 mm, divided to 1/3, with prominent dark purple veins coming together at teeth apices, lateral anastomoses absent; densely hairy with ± broad-based acute hairs 0.3 mm long, at least some gland-tipped. Teeth triangular, subacute, slightly constricted at middle, ± recurved and slightly folded at apex, densely ciliate with thin hairs 0.3 mm long. Androgynophore c. 1 mm long, densely hairy above, less so below. Petal claw slightly exserted, 3 mm broad at apex, slightly dentate, slightly auriculate; limb 1.5–2 × 1.5 mm, bifid to 1/3 to 1/2; coronal scales 0.5–1 mm long. Styles 5 (described as 3-styled in the protologue, but this is obviously a lapsus calami). Seeds 0.8 mm long, tuberculate, with longer papillae on back.

Distribution. East Central Nepal and South Tibet (Gyirong, Nyalam).

Habitat and ecology. Open places. Altitudinal range 3500–4100 m. Flowering July to August.

Notes. Silene nyalamensis can be confused with S. procera in bud or if shade-grown, but the latter is a taller plant with thin erect branches, has a larger more rounded calyx with softer less tapering hairs and greenish reticulate veins, and grows at lower altitudes. Small individuals of Silene nyalamensis are similar to S. blepharicalyx , but in this case (like in S. procera ) the calyx veins are less raised and have at least some reticulations; further, glandular hairs are lacking, and the calyx teeth have longer cilia.

Additional specimens examined. NEPAL. Dolakha: Tangboche to Feroche , on exposed area, 4000 m, 31 vii 1966, Banerji & P. R. Shakya 5706 ( KATH, US01895810) . Loco ignoto: s.col. 7976 ( KATH, specimen unmounted in 2018) .

TIBET. Gyirong: Tuodang , 3500 m, 26 vi 1972, Tibet herbal medicine census 553 ( PE 00048046 ) ;

ibid., (28°34′51′′N, 85°15′30′′E), 3812 m, Liujq-09xc-lzt-082 ( KUN). Nyalam : 3600 m, 31 viii 1972, Tibet herbal medicine census 1680 ( HNWP 29220 , PE 01268454 ) ; near the station, 3800 m, 2 ix 1972, Tibet herbal medicine census 1714 ( HNWP 30674 ) ; ibid., 4100 m, 7 ix 1981, Zhi Cheng et al. 2081 ( PE) ; ibid., 3750–4100 m, 17 vii 2016, Wei Lai & He Yi BNUXZ2016109 ( BNU 0028276 ) .

Figures

Figure 5. Silene nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén, comb. nov.: A, calyx; B, petal; C, seed; D, whole plant; E, upper part of pedicel; F, calyx vein pubescence; G, calyx teeth cilia. Silene blepharicalyx Lidén, sp. nov.: H, calyx; I, petal; J, seed; K, whole plant; L, upper part of pedicel; M, calyx vein pubescence; N, calyx teeth cilia. Silene procera Lidén, sp. nov.: O, calyx; P, petal; Q, seed; R, S, whole plant; T, upper part of pedicel; U, calyx vein pubescence; V, calyx teeth cilia. Scale bars: A, B, H, I, O, P, 1 cm; C, E–G, J, L–N, Q, T–V, 1 mm; D, K, R, S, 10 cm. Vouchers: A, C–G, Tibet herbal medicine census 1832 (PE); B, Banerji & P.R. Shakya 5706 (KATH); H, L–N, K.K. Shrestha & S.K. Ghimire SP363 (KATH); I, J, S. Noshiro et al. 20106081 (E); K, A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 2197 (E); O, P, R–V, H. Ikeda et al. (Manaslu 2008 expedition) 20815090 (E); Q, H. Ikeda et al. 20811114 (E). Drawings: Magnus Lidén.