Aster veitchianus Hutch. & J. R. Drumm. ex G. J. Zhang & T. G. Gao, 2013

Zhang, Guojin, Zhang, Caifei, Hu, Haihua & Gao, Tiangang, 2013, Validation of the name Aster veitchianus (Asteraceae), Phytotaxa 152 (1), pp. 53-55 : 53-55

Aster veitchianus Hutch. & J. R. Drumm. ex G. J. Zhang & T. G. Gao , sp. nov.

Aster veitchianus Hutch. & J. R. Drumm. ex Ling (1935: 214) , nom. inval.

Type:— CHINA: Sichuan, Mt. E’mei, Qingyingge , alt. 950 m, 8 June 1933, X. B. Peng 6049 (holotype PE! [barcode no. 00300085]) .

Description: —Perennial with creeping rhizomes. Stem erect, single, 10–40 cm tall, branched in upper part or not, villous, densely at lower part. Leaves few, less than 10; basal leaves present at anthesis, obovate, 12–90 × 6–32 mm, apex acute or obtuse, base attenuate, margin sparsely serrate (1–4 pairs), petiole 10–45 mm long; lower leaves oblanceolate, 30–90 × 10–30 mm, apex acute or obtuse, base attenuate, margin entire or sparsely serrate (1–4 pairs), petiole 20–40 mm long, winged, semi-amplexicaul; median leaves usually 1–2, oblanceolate, 30–65 × 5–15 mm, apex acute, base semi-amplexicaul, margin entire, sessile; bracts 1–3, narrowly lanceolate or linear, 10–30 mm long, apex acute, margin entire, sessile. Leaves adaxial face green, sparsely villous; abaxial face light green, villous on midribs, glabrous or sparsely pilose on the rest parts. Capitula 1–4, solitary or loosely corymbiform, peduncles pilose. Involucres hemispherical, 8–12 mm in diameter; phyllaries 2-seriate, unequal, glabrous, apex acute, purplish, margin scarious, the outer phyllaries 3– 5 × 0.5 mm, the inner 8–10 × 0.8–1.2 mm. Ray florets 30–40, ligules 10–12 mm long, purplish, tube sparsely pilose. Disc florets 4–5 mm long, tube sparsely pilose. Achenes 1.5–2 mm long, oblanceolate, sparsely pilose. Pappus of barbellate bristles, whitish to slightly reddish, 2-seriate, the outer few, ca. 1 mm long, the inner 4–5 mm long. Flowers April–August. Fruits unknown.

Distribution and habitat: — Aster veitchianus is found in E’mei county (Mt. E’mei) and Yinjin county, Sichuan province, China. It grows in forests and along roadsides at elevations of 800–1700 m.

Etymology and ascription: —The specific epithet “ veitchianus ” was originally written on a specimen in K (E. H. Wilson 4981, K) by J. Hutchinson & J. R. Drummond, as the specimen was presented by Veitch Nurseries in the United Kingdom.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — CHINA. Sichuan province, E’mei county, Mt. E’mei: Anonymous 18944 ( PE [barcode no. 01694265]); E. H. Wilson 4981 ( K, photo); G. H. Yang 55562 ( PE [barcode no. 01694263]); Wuhan University 7628 ( PE [barcode no. 01694264]); 19 June 1935, T. H. Hu 207 ( PE [barcode no. 00300084]); 11 July 1937, S. S. Chien 6030 ( PE [barcode no. 00300080]); 17 June 1939, C. L. Sun 537 ( PE [barcode no. 00300081]); 4 June 1941, W. P. Fang 16837 ( PE [barcode no. 01776712]); 29 May 1956, S. Z. Yu 49540 ( SZ, photo [barcode no. 00265612]); 23 April 1957, Anonymous 54165 ( PE [barcode no. 00300078]); 28 April 1957, G. H. Yang 55562 ( PE [barcode nos. 01694263, 00300079]; SZ, photo [barcode no. 00265480]); 16 May 1957, Y. X. Xiao 30 ( SZ, photo [barcode no. 00265649]); 20 May 1957, G. H. Yang 54653 ( PE [barcode no. 00300082]); 29 May 1957, G. H. Yang 54953 ( PE [barcode no. 00300083]); 1 June 1964, Y. L. Chen 011 ( PE [barcode no. 00300075]); 3 June 1964, Y. L. Chen 017 ( PE [barcode nos. 00300091, 00300092, 00300093]); 25 August 1964, K. J. Guan, J. W. Wang & C. L. Li 1717 ( PE [barcode nos. 00300076, 00300077]); 7 June 1980, Z. Y. Zhang et al. 876 ( PE [barcode no. 01824645]) . Sichuan province, Yinjin county : 8 July 1938, Z. W. Yao 2252 ( PE [barcode no. 00300087]); 22 June 1939, Z. W. Yao 3795 ( PE [barcode no. 00300086]) .

Identification key to Aster veitchianus and A. auriculatus

1. Leaves less than 10, basal ones present at anthesis, the others at lower part of the stem, abaxial face not glandular; capitula 1–4; phyllaries glabrous ............................................................................................................ A. veitchianus

– Leaves more than 15, basal ones withering at anthesis, the others at median and upper part of the stem, abaxial face glandular; capitula more than 10; phyllaries glandular ........................................................................... A. auriculatus