Taraxacum pictum Štěpánek & Kirschner, 2022

Štěpánek, Jan & Kirschner, Jan, 2022, A hotspot of endemism: Oreophytic Taraxacum species (Compositae, Crepidinae) in the mountains of Bulgaria, Phytotaxa 569 (1), pp. 1-139 : 126-128

40. Taraxacum pictum Štěpánek & Kirschner , sp. nov.

Type:— Bulgaria, montes Rila , pagus Borovec, in via silvatica supra stationem superiorem ferroviae pensilis “lift Sitnjakovo”, ante vallem Solenata Voda, ca. 1800 m, 13 May 1989, B. Slavík, cultivated as S 2234 , collected in 1990 ( PRA, no. det. 36168, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 36161, and duplicates) .

Etymology:—Colourful, multicoloured – after outer phyllaries with contrasting colours (derived from Latin, pingo, pingere, to paint).

Diagnosis:—Species distinctissima foliis pinnatisectis facie T. fascinantis, petiolis inalatis cano-purpurascentibus, foliis canescentiviridibus aeneo-suffusis, phyllariis exterioribus numerosis, irregulariter arcuato-patentibus, pallide viridibus zona mediana obscure olivaceo-viridi notatis, in marginem pellucidam 0.1–0.2 mm latam sensim transeuntibus, stigmatibus obscuris, acheniis parvis, corpore superne grosse spinuloso notabilis.

Plants small to medium-sized, ± slender, 8–11 cm tall. Plant base without tunic, with ± dense light brownish hairs among petiole bases. Petiole greyish purple, narrow, unwinged to narrowly winged, 2–3 cm long. Leaves variously erectpatent, greyish green with a bronze hue, not spotted, sparsely arachnoid, mainly on midvein, narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptical in outline, narrow, usually 7–11 × 1.5–2.7 cm, pinnatisect; terminal segment triangular to helmetshaped, usually 9–17 × 8–17 mm, obtusely acute, distal margin subconvex to subsigmoid, entire, basal lobules usually recurved to strongly recurved, subacute, proximal margin subconcave to straight, entire; lateral segments in 3–4 pairs, usually triangular to narrowly so, often bird-wing-shaped in bigger leaves, from a broader base ± abruptly narrowed in a narrow, lingulate distal part, usually recurved, most often 4–13 mm long, 5–10 mm wide at base, distal margin ± straight to sigmoid, entire in outer leaves, with 1–2 deep incisions in the inner ones, denticulate at base, proximal margin ± straight to subconcave, entire; interlobes narrow, usually 4–12 × 2.5–3 mm, entire or sparsely denticulate in outer leaves, with 3–6 unequal narrow teeth in the inner leaves, surface not blotched, margin distally bordered brownpurple, proximally ± raised; mid-vein brownish or purplish. Scapes pale greenish, floccose-arachnoid, equalling leaves. Capitulum small, ca. 2.5 cm wide, flat, dirty yellow. Involucre ± rounded and 7–9 mm wide at base. Outer phyllaries 17–20, irregularly arcuate-patent, long, reaching 3/4 of the inner ones, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, 7.5–9 × 2.5– 3.5 (–4.0) mm, seemingly translucent, abaxially pale green with an olivaceous-green, ca. 2 mm wide darker middle strip before and at anthesis, middle part bordered pale greenish, with a gradual transition in a membranous border 0.1– 0.2 mm wide, adaxially very pale green to greyish green, during anthesis and later getting suffused bluish purple on both sides, margin distally minutely ciliate, apex flat; inner phyllaries 10–11 mm long, of ± equal width. Outer ligules flat, striped grey-olivaceous outside, apical teeth purple-black, inner ligules canaliculate, their teeth smoky yellow. Stigmas dark discoloured, ± black when dry, with black pubescence outside. Pollen present, pollen grains irregular in size. Achenes light greyish-brownish, relatively small, 3.4–4.0 × 0.8–0.9 mm, without distinct longitudinal ridges, body coarsely squamulose in upper 1/5, the upper row of large squamules forming a collar below the cone base, body ± abruptly narrowing into a subcylindrical cone (0.5–) 0.7–1.0 mm long; beak 6–8 mm long, pappus whitish, 5–6 mm long. – Agamosperm. – Fig. 74C , 78 .

Diagnostic notes:— Taraxacum pictum is a species resembling T. fascinans Kirschner, Mikoláš & Štěpánek in Kirschner & Štěpánek (1997a: 45; T. sect. Palustria ) in its leaf shape. It is generally distinct in having purplish outer phyllaries, with contrasting colours abaxially, and with a peculiar, coarsely squamulose sculpturing of achenes. Together with very dark stigmas, these characters make it possible to discern T. pictum from the other taxa of the T. rhodopaeum group.

Distribution and habitat:—It was safely documented from the Rila and Pirin, between 1800 and 2500 m. It grows on stony slopes and track verges in the subalpine and alpine belts. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as VU.

Specimens studied:— BULGARIA. The Pirin , Bansko , Mt. Vichren , amongst scree on the Vichrenski Preslap ridge, between Mt. Vichren (2914 m) and Chvojnati vrech (2635 m), limestone, ca. 2500 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4547 ( PRA, no. det. 36166) .

Figures

FIGURE 74. Achenes of the Bulgarian members of Taraxacum sect. Rhodocarpa. A, T. pandum (PRA, no. det. 27673, isotype); B, T. rhodopaeum (PRA, no. det. 26158, isotype); C, T. pictum (PRA, no. det. 36161); D, T. incantatum (PRA, no. det. 27695, holotype). Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 78. Taraxacum pictum (PRA, no. det. 36168, holotype). Photo M. Hladík.