Plantago tatarica Decaisne (1852: 696)

Hassemer, Gustavo, 2018, Notes on the montane Indo-Iranian species in Plantago subgenus Plantago (Plantaginaceae), Phytotaxa 336 (1), pp. 59-68 : 63-66

Plantago tatarica Decaisne (1852: 696)

≡ P. gentianoides var. tatarica (Decne.) Pilger (1925: 101–102)

Type: —COUNTRY UNKNOWN. “in Spiti Tatariae”, s.d., V. Jacquemont 1944 (lectotype [designated here] P-03531977! [ Figure 4 ]).

Distribution: — Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, and also extending north-eastwards into the Pamir Mountains, at elevations of 1400 m or higher.

Notes: —The protologue of P. tatarica ( Decaisne 1852: 696) gave the following information for typification purposes: “In Spiti Tatariae (Jacquemont), in Affghanhistan (W. Griffith)” (syntypes, according to Art. 9.5). I was able to locate four syntypes at P: W. Griffith s.n. (P-03531975), W. Griffith 415-3 (P-03531976), V. Jacquemont 1944 (P-03531977) and W. Griffith 4154 (P-03531978); all these specimens are identified as “ Plantago tatarica Dne. ” in Decaisne’s script. The specimens on three out of these four sheets (P-03531975, P-03531977 and P-03531978) belong to P. tatarica , whereas the specimen on P-03531976 (which is also an isotype of P. griffithii ) has lax inflorescences and belongs instead to P. griffithii . I designate here V. Jacquemont 1944 (P-03531977; Figure 4 ) as the lectotype of P. tatarica , because it is the first element cited in the protologue, and is the only syntype in which a mention to “Tataria” is present. The two specimens on this sheet include seeds and are in conformity with Decaisne’s description.

Specimens of P. tatarica were up until now being referred to as P. gentianoides subsp. griffithii ( Patzak & Rechinger 1965, Kazmi 1974, Li et al. 2011). The fact that Decaisne included a collection of P. griffithii (P-03531976, an isotype of this species!) among the original material of P. tatarica must have contributed to the long-lasting confusion between these two species. Plantago tatarica is characterised by the absence of an elongated, well-developed rhizome (distinguishing it from P. gentianoides ), glabrous leaves (distinguishing it from P. himalaica ), very short and dense spikes (distinguishing it from P. asiatica and P. griffithii ), globose pyxidia (distinguishing it from P. asiatica , P. depressa and P. gentianoides ), and ellipsoid seeds (distinguishing it from P.major ). More studies are necessary to ascertain the distribution and conservation status of this species.

Selected additional specimens examined: — AFGHANISTAN. S.d., W. Griffith s.n. (P-03531975) ; s.d., W. Griffith 4154 (P-03531978) ; Miyan Deh, Minjan, 2550 m, 1 July 1948, L. Edelberg 2214- B ( C) ; Hauz-i-Mahiha, 2500 m, 16 July 1948, M. Köie 2481- A ( C) ; Aoband Kotal , 3000 m, 3 June 1949, L. Edelberg 1818 ( C) ; Unai Kotal , 3200 m, 3 June 1949, L. Edelberg 1823 ( C) ; Wakhan prov., Wuzud (Ouzet) village , 36 59.378’ N, 72 46.618’ E, 2870 m, 20 June 2010, J. Soelberg 16 ( C) . IRAN. Prov. Kerman, ad nives deliquesc. alpis Kuh-Lalesar , 3700–3800 m, 16 July 1892, J. Bornmüller 4606 ( C) ; Prov. Kerman, in pratis alpinis montis Kuh-Lalesar , 3500 m, 17 July 1892, J. Bornmüller 4607 ( C) ; M. Elburs, in valle Lar ad basin montis Demawend, 2400–2500 m, 13 July 1902, J. Bornmüller & A. Bornmüller 8152 ( C) ; 30 km north of Damghan on way to Kalateh , river area, 1400 m, 23 June 1973, J. S. Andersen & A. G. Jensen 7220 ( C). COUNTRY UNKNOWN. Pamir, in prate ad flumen Alitshur, 4000 m, 18 July 1898, O. Paulsen 827 ( C) ; Pamir, in ripam fluminis ad lacus Bulung Kul , 3800 m, 25 August 1898, O. Paulsen 1166 ( C) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Lectotype of Plantago tatarica (V. Jacquemont 1944, P-03531977). Copyright: Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. Available online at: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p03531977