Silene scoparia 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 : 6-7

2. Silene scoparia Lidén , sp. nov.

Silene scoparia differs from S. oreoploca Lidén in its longer and narrower flowers

(22–27 mm vs 15–20 mm long), longer androgynophore (13–16 mm [13–19 mm in fruit] vs 8–10 mm [8–14 mm in fruit]) and calyx teeth scabrid by antrorse acute projections abaxially (vs glandular hairy). – Type: Nepal, Dolpa , Ankhe to Dunai (29°N, 82°50′E) ,

2750 m, fl. pink – white, 10 x 1991, M. Minaki et al. 9104467 (holotype E00232987 ; isotypes TI 9104467 , TUS). Figures 1A–I , 2 .

“ Silene moorcroftiana ” sensu Rajbhandari & Suzuki (2008) p.p., non Benth. (1839).

Densely caespitose perennial forming bright green tufts or tussocks in cliff crevices. Root (rarely present in herbarium specimens) crowned by a cluster of several perennating stems, ending in small secondary crowns, each with a terminal rosette subtended by stramineus coriaceous residues of old petiole bases, the latter with minute antrorse marginal setae and persistent midvein. The rosettes are overgrown by flowering stems emerging from below the rosette, up to 15 from each terminal crown and up to 100 per plant. Stems ascending from base, 8–30 cm long, with 8–20 nodes evenly distributed, simple or with small leafy branches, with retrorse acute hairs (0.05–0.1 mm long) throughout, and with scattered glandular hairs (0.1–0.2 mm long) in upper part. Rosette leaves linear to very narrowly oblanceolate, 20–35 mm long. Cauline leaves linear, acute, 10–30 × 1–2 mm, thickish,

stiff, with antrorse-scabrid margin and midvein, otherwise glabrous. Uppermost leaf pair (bracts) usually smaller. Inflorescence terminal, 1(–3)-flowered; axillary 1-flowered branches sometimes grow from upper leaves. Pedicels 1–10(–20) mm. Bracteoles minute when present. Flowers erect or often slightly oblique. Calyx 22–27 mm long, with narrow often slightly curved basal half; veins distinct, green or brownish purple, without anastomoses, with very stout broad-based glandular hairs 0.2 mm long. Calyx teeth 2.5 mm long with distinct claw and rounded limb, abaxially scabrid from antrorse acute projections; margin ciliate. Androgynophore 13–16(–19) mm long, finely and densely retrorse-hairy. Petal claw exserted, narrowly obtriangular. Petal limb c. 10 mm long, white or pale purple, obtriangular, divided to 1/3. Coronal scales white, narrow, 1.5 mm long. Anthers exserted. Styles 3, exserted. Seeds rounded-reniform in profile, c. 1.4 mm, with obtuse back with long thin papillae.

Distribution. Endemic to Nepal (Southeast Dolpa and Mustang).

Habitat and ecology. Cliff crevices. Altitudinal range 2600–3100(–3700) m. Flowering late July to October.

Etymology. From Latin scopa (broom made from thin twigs).

Notes. The related Silene oreoploca is also found in Mustang but at higher altitudes (see Table 2 for distinguishing characters).

Additional specimens examined. NEPAL. Dolpa: Rachi to Ankhe (29°00′N, 82°50′E), 2980 m, on rock, 9

x 1991, M. Minaki et al. 9109283 ( TI 9109283 ) ; 3000 m, on rock, 10 x 1991, M.Minaki et al. 9104446 ( E00231757 , TI 9104446 ) ; Ankhe to Dunai (29°N, 82°50′E), 2950 m, on rock by river side, 9 x 1991, M. Minaki et al. 9106159 ( E00241152 , TI) ; 2560 m, 10 x 1991, M. Minaki et al. 9109307 ( E00232986 ,

TI 9109307 ). Mustang : Lower Bhena Khola (28°58′N, 83°49′E), 3700 m, Juniperus-Cotoneaster scrub on N-facing slopes, viii/ xi 2001, G. Miehe, S. Miehe & K. Koch 01-076-08 ( GB) ; Eklebhatti , 2730 m, crevices of rocks, 8 x 2001, P. R. Shakya, I. Shrestha & S. Shakya 10562 ( KATH086600 ) ; Jomsom to Kagbeni (28°47′N, 83°44′E), 2700 m, 21 vii 1983, H. Ohba et al. ( TI 8310582 ) ; Jomsom to Kagbeni (28°47′N, 83°44′E), 2800 m, 21 vii 1983, H. Ohba et al. ( E00231788 , TI 8330669 ) ; Kagbeni to Muktinath, 2800–3550 m, 22 vii 1983, H. Ohba et al. ( TI 8330720 and TI 8350592 , both mixed with Silene moorcroftiana ) ; Lupra to Kagbeni, s.d., M. Page s.n. (photograph, Figure 2 ) ; Kagbeni to Chuksang (28°50–55′ N, 83°47–49′ E), c. 3000 m, 9 vii 2000, Y. Iokawa et al. 20020015 ( E00826586 , TI 20020015 , non-flowering rosettes only) ; ibid., Y. Iokawa et al. 20020017 ( KUN 1264686 , TI 20020017 , flowering) ; Jharkot to Marpha (28°49′01′′N, 83°51′02′′E to 28°45′17′′N, 83°41′28′′E), 3100 m, on rock at roadside slope, dry and sunny place, 21 viii 1994, S. Noshiro et al. 9470526 ( E00232984 , L, TI 9470526 , TUS) ; Jomson to Jharkot (28°47′09′′ to 49′38′′ N, 83°42′50′ to 51′07′′ E), 3040 m, 22 ix 1995, M. Mikage et al. 9552385 ( E00232977 , TI 9552385 , TUS) ; Zwischen Muktinath und Jomosom, 3200 m, 1 xi 1978, S.- W. Breckle 6573 ( GOET) .

Figures

Figure 1. Silene scoparia Lidén, sp. nov.: A, whole plant leaf rosettes; B, whole plant with flowers (two damaged flowers have been ‘mended’ for clarity, with the mended parts appearing lighter); C, calyx (insert: calyx teeth); D, hairs on calyx veins; E, hairs on pedicels; F, hairs on calyx teeth vein; G, petal; H, cauline leaf; I, seed. Silene oreoploca Lidén, nom. nov.: J, whole plant with flowers; K, calyx (insert: calyx teeth); L, hairs on calyx veins; M, hairs on pedicels; N, petal; O, cauline leaf; P, seed; Q, androgynophore pubescence. Silene moorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth.: R, whole plant with flowers; S, calyx (insert: calyx teeth); T, hairs on calyx veins; U, hairs on pedicels; V, petal; W, cauline leaf; X, seed; Y, androgynophore pubescence. Scale bars: A, B, J, R, 10 cm; G, H, N, O, V, W and C, K, S (excluding inserts), 1 cm; C, K, S (inserts), 2 mm; D–F, I, L, P, Q, T, X and Y, 1 mm. Vouchers: A, Y. Iokawa et al. 20020015 (E00826586); B, M. Minaki et al. 9104467 (E00231757); C–I, G. Miehe, S. Miehe & K. Koch 01-076-08 (GB); J, Tibet herbal medicine census 1666 (PE); K–O, Chen Jia-Rui 92294 (PE); P and Q, Miehe 99-49-10 (GB); R, S. Noshiro et al. 20106115 (TI); S–Y, S. Miehe 99-62-16 (GB). Drawings: Magnus Lidén.

Figure 2. A small plant of Silene scoparia in a rock wall between Lupra and Kagbeni. Note the infection by Microbotryum violaceum affecting the anthers. Photograph: Michelle Page.