Orobanche grossheimii Novopokrovsky (1949: 282)

Piwowarczyk, Renata, Pedraja, Óscar Sánchez, Khutsishvili, Manana & Kharazishvili, Davit, 2023, Holoparasitic Orobanchaceae in Georgia (Caucasus): taxonomic revision, diversity, distribution, habitats and host range, Phytotaxa 604 (1), pp. 1-103 : 59

10. Orobanche grossheimii Novopokrovsky (1949: 282)

. Type:— SOUTH OSSETIA (lectotype designated by Piwowarczyk et al. 2019: 74 [ex Tzvelev 2015: 209]): “Юго-Осетия, Cрмани, правый берег НиЖне-Cрманского ущелья, субальпийский луг, 1 VIII 1946, И. АбрамОВ [Ermani, right bank of Lower-Ermani gorge, subalpine meadow, 1 VIII 1946, I. Abramov]” (LE s.n.! [now numbered as LE01015392]). Heterotypic synonym:— Orobanche grossheimii f. pallescens Uhlich & Rätzel (2004: 203) . Fig. 38 .

General distribution: —Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia: Russia, Georgia, and Armenia. Also mentioned from other Caucasian countries e.g., Azerbaijan ( Karjagin 1957), and nearby areas like Kurdistan ( Novopokrovsky & Tzvelev 1958: 107), but these need confirmation. Endemic to the Caucasus.

Distribution: —In the northern parts (Greater Caucasus) in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti prov., in South Ossetia and the north-western parts in Abkhazia, as well as in the southern parts of the country in the Samtskhe-Javakheti prov. (Lesser Caucasus) ( Fig. 39 ).

Habitat: —Subalpine meadows, stony, grassy slopes, pastures, rarely forests, (1800)2000‒2500(2700) m.

Hosts: — Cephalaria sp. (Dipsacaceae) , such as C. gigantea (Ledeb.) Bobrov.

Phenology: —Flowering (end of May) June–July (August), fruiting July–August.

Conservation status: —Near Threatened (NT). Species is known to occur in fewer than 20 localities and subpopulations are fragmented, do not consist of numerous individuals. EOO is 30,000 km 2 and AOO is ca. 500 km 2. The most common threats are related to habitat degradation, overgrazing and overgrowing, as well as with landslides.

Notes:—See Piwowarczyk et al. (2019).

Specimens examined: — GEORGIA. Abkhazia: Bzipi range, valley of the river Gegi, 25 July 1931, R.I. Tetlev (LE); Adjara: ( Gagnidze 1999, sub O. grossheimii ; Eristavi et al. 2001: 60, sub O. grossheimii ) [need confirmation, no herbarium specimens kept at BATU, TBI, etc.]; Kvemo Kartli prov.: “Kartli” ( Eristavi et al. 2001: 60, sub O. grossheimii Novopokr. ); Mtskheta-Mtianeti prov.: distr. Tianeti, in silva mont. Garedzi [Gareja Mt.], in Fageto, 22 July 1963, Melikischvili (TGM13892) [as O. major by Melikischvili]; Truso Valley, 19 June 2019, G. Łazarski [phot.]; Samtskhe-Javakheti prov.: prov. Tiflis, distr. Gori, inclivibus subalpinis prope p. Moliti ad loc. Tabatskuri, 10 July 1920, B. Schischkin (TGM53190, TGM8429) [as O. major by Melikischvili]; N of Modega, subalpine meadow, around intensively grazed, 41°37’53’’N, 43°29’23’’E, 2180 m, 1 June 2014, R. Piwowarczyk (KTC); horské louky severovýchodně od jezera Paravani pod průsmykem Tikmataji / Tikmataši (Džavachetský hřbet), 2050 m, poblíž železniční trať do Turecka, [mountain meadows northeast of Lake Paravani below the Tikmataji / Tikmataši pass (Javacheti ridge) [Javakheti range], 2050 m, near the railway line to Turkey], 41.5361803N, 43.8878572E, 12 June 2019, J. Podhorný & J. Moravec [phot.]; Lesser Caucasus, Javakheti-Bogdanovskij distr., Gorelovka village, Kazantash Mt., on the top, 26 July 1960, E.W. Wołkowa & L.I. Ivanina (LE); Bogdanovskij distr., between Bogdanovka [Gorelovka] and Jigrasheni, left slope, 2–3 km NW from vil. Bogdanovka, 1800 m, 12 July 1960, N. Tzvelev & S. Cherepanov (LE); Samtskhe-Javakheti, western part of the moutain range of Trialeti, surroundings of the village Azavreti, 41°36’23.0”N, 43°23’12.0”E, 2170 m, 15 July 2002, G. Schneeweiss et al. (WU0027604, WU0027605, WU0032456, WU0032457, WU0032458); Georgia, Minor Caucasus , road from Khrats’karos [Tskhratskaro] pass to Azavreti [41°37’55.0”N, 43°29’28.0”E], 2190–2250 m, on Cephalaria sp. (Dipsacaceae) , 15 July 2002, G. Schneeweiss et al. (WU0032460, WU0032461, WU0032462, WU0032463, WU0032464, WU0032465, WU0032466); Georgia, Minor Caucasus , surroundings of the village of Azavreti, 2050–2170 m, on Cephalaria sp. (Dipsacaceae) , [41°36’23.0”N, 43°23’12.0”E, Tetrobi Managed Reserve], 15 July 2002 G. Schneeweiss et al. (WU0032456, WU0032458, WU0032457); by the road from Bakuriani to the Tskhratskaro pass [2454 m], below Tskhratskaro pass, roadside/subalpine rocky meadow, young specimens, 41°42’06.0”N, 43°30’41.6”E, 2175–2230 m, 13 June 2022, R. Piwowarczyk (KTC); South Ossetia: Ermani, right bank of the Lower Ermani Gorge, subalpine meadow, 1 August 1946, I. Abramov (LE01015392); right bank of the Middle Ermani, 18 July 1939, N. Tzvelev (LE); Ermani, left bank of Ermani gorge, subalpine meadow, E exposure, 2500 m, 21 July 1954, Grevtsova (MW0723455) [as O. anatolica ]; left bank of the Middle Ermani-don, subalpine meadow, 2500 m, 13 July 1936, V. Kreczetowicz (LE); Ermani, left bank of Mid. Ermani-don, subalpine meadow, 2300 m, 30 July 1948, V. Surova (MW0723362, MW0723363); left bank of Mid. Ermani-don, E slope, 9 July 1958, E. Gugel (MW0723364); Roki pass, S slope, subalpine meadow, 2400–2700 m, 24 July 1929, E. & N. Busch (LE, TBI) [as O. major ].

Figures

FIGURE 38. Orobanche grossheimii. A–D. General habit. E–G. Flower, side view. H–J. Flower, front view. K, M. Representative habitat (Samtskhe-Javakheti prov., Bakuriani distr., below Tskhratskaro pass). K–M. Host, Cephalaria gigantea. Photos by R. Piwowarczyk.

FIGURE 39. Distribution of Orobanche grossheimii in Georgia.