Cirsium tatakaense Y.H.Tseng & C.Y.Chang, 2019

Chang, Chih-Yi, Tzeng, Hsy-Yu & Tseng, Yen-Hsueh, 2019, Cirsium tatakaense (Compositae), a new species from Taiwan, PhytoKeys 117, pp. 119-132 : 124-129

Cirsium tatakaense Y.H.Tseng & C.Y.Chang sp. nov. Figs 1 , 2 , 4A , 5A , 6A , 7A

Diagnosis.

Differs from C. kawakamii in having narrower leaf lobes (7.3-11.7 mm), usually more florets, (136)161-308 and phyllaries (111-199), a purplish-red corolla and larger pollen grains (34.2-42.6 × 35.2-44.7 μm).

Type.

TAIWAN. Nantou County, Sinyi Township, Highway no. 18, Tataka to Shihshan, 2400 m alt., 23°28.52'N, 120°52.10'E, 3 October 2016. C. Y. Chang 1444 (holotype: TCF; isotype: TNM, PPI).

Description.

Perennial herbs, stems 0.5-1.5 m tall, without rosette leaves. Leaves pinnatipartite or pinnatisect, 27.2-34.8 cm long and 16.4-19.4 cm wide, U-shaped space between pinnae, smooth, elliptic to broadly elliptic, base truncate to cuneate, apex caudate, pinnae 6.4-7.5 cm long and 7.3-11.9 mm wide, space between pinnae 2.9-3.0 cm, 4-6 pairs. Capitula arranged into racemes or panicles, mature capitula nodding, involucre bowl-shaped, 3.9-4.0 cm long and 1.7-2.1 cm wide. Involucre lacking abaxial appendages, inner phyllaries acute apically, outer phyllaries reddish-purple with indistinct layers, 1.1-2.2 cm long and 1.8-2.4 mm wide, protrusion 6.3-13.0 mm. Florets with purplish-red corolla, 3.2-3.3 cm long, corolla lobes 4.3-5.3 mm long and 0.4-0.7 mm wide; 5 synantherous stamens, detached filaments with irregular protuberances, basal caudate extensions, light purple or brown, anthers 6.4-6.8 mm long, filaments 7.1-8.1 mm long. Stigmas bifid apically, style 3.0-3.2 cm long, ovaries 1.7-1.9 mm long. Achenes oblong, base acute, apex truncate, beige, 3.0-3.5 mm long and 1.4-1.6 mm wide, long tube-shaped beak apically. Pappus 1.6-1.8 cm long forming basal ring, easily shed.

Phenology.

Flowering between August and October and fruiting between September and November.

Distribution.

Endemic species of Taiwan. Cirsium tatakaense is located in open areas of cloud forests of vegetation zones from the Quercus to Abies forest zone at alt. 2000-3000 m in central-southern Taiwan (Fig. 3 ). Based on the geographical climatic regions and vegetation zones ( Su 1984, 1985), C. tatakaense is distributed mainly in the central-west inland regions. Cirsium tatakaense has been discovered in sunny environments, such as roadsides and forest margins, concentrated on the upper portions of hills along Provincial Highway no. 18. Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Andersson ( Poaceae ), Rubus taitoensis Hayata ( Rosaceae ) and Senecio nemorensis L. var. dentatus (Kitam.) H. Koyama ( Compositae ) are often discovered with C. tatakaense . Sometimes, C. arisanense Kitam. and C. ferum Kitam. are found near to C. tatakaense ; however, no hybrid individual between these species has been observed.

Chinese name.

Ta-ta-jia-ji (塔塔加薊).

Etymology.

The species epithet tatakaense derives from the type location Tataka in Nantou County.

Notes.

This species has in the past been mistakenly identified as C. kawakamii (S. Saito 3477, KYO!; Yamazaki 945, KYO!; C. I Peng 8026, 8936, 11788, 14628, HAST!; K. F. Chung 1053, HAST!; Kawakami & Sasaki s. n., TAIF!; M. L. Weng 1723, TAI!; Y. Kudo & S. Suzuki 300, TAI!; C. C. Hsu 4231, TAI!; C. I Peng 738, TAI!; C. T. Chao et al. 2534, TNM!; C. S. Kuoh 15146, TNM!) or less often as C. arisanense Kitam. (Yamamoto et al. 4142, TAI!; Y. J. Lin 169, PPI!). The earliest record of C. tatakaense was collected by T. Kawakami & S. Sasaki s. n. (TAIF!) at Mt. Morrison (alt. ca. 3000 m) on October 8, 1909. Other specimens collected from 1909-1930 were from Alishan (alt. ca. 2200 m). However, only a few populations remain in Alishan, with the largest population appearing along the Yushan Main Peak Trail from Tataka to Paiyun Lodge (alt. ca. 2800 m). We assume that use in herbal medicine as well as climate change have reduced the population of C. tatakaense .

Chromosome number.

2n = 64 (Fig. 6A )

Palynology.

Pollen grains are tricolporate, spheroidal, microreticulate and 34.2-42.6 × 35.2-44.7 μm (P/E ratio: 0.9-1.0). The surface of the pollen is densely covered with spines that are 3.2-5.1 μm long and 4.2-5.6 μm wide at the base. The distance between spines is 7.5-10.6 μm (Fig. 7A ).

Conservation status.

Cirsium tatakaense is distributed in central-southern Taiwan, with a population of more than 1000 mature individuals. Its habitats are mainly located in high and sunny mountain areas and many of them are difficult to locate. Therefore, following the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2014), we regard this species as Least Concern. However, long-term monitoring of its population is still required.

Additional specimens examined (paratype).

TAIWAN. Nantou County, Sinyi Township, Highway no. 18, Tataka to Shihshan, 2400 m alt., 23°28.52'N, 120°52.10'E, 3 Oct. 2016. C. Y. Chang 1442 (TCF); same loc., 3 Oct. 2016. C. Y. Chang 1443 (TCF); same loc., 12 Sept. 2012. C. T. Chao et al. 2534 (TNM!); Tunpu Hot Spring to Kuankao, 1300-2600 m alt., 3 July 1985. C. I Peng 8026 (HAST!). Chiayi County, Alishan Township, Alishan, 25 Dec. 1928. Y. Kudo & S. Suzuki 300 (TAI!); Tatachia saddle to Paiyunshanchuang, 2700-3000 m alt., 9 Nov. 1985. C. I Peng 8931 (HAST!); Tatachia saddle to Mt. Yushanchienfu, 2700-3100 m alt., 11 Nov. 1990. P. J. Wu et al. s. n. (TNM!). Kaohsiung City, Tauyuan District, Kuaiku to Yakou, 2600 m alt., 23°16.03'N, 120°56.24'E, 21 Oct. 2014. C. Y. Chang 160 (TNM); Gingzin bridge, 14 Sept. 1999. C. S. Kuoh 15146 (TAN!). Taitung County, Yanping Township, Yenping forest-road, 1500-1800 m alt., 2 July 2006. Y. J. Lin 169 (PPI!).

Figures

Figure 1. Line drawings of Cirsium tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang A habit B root C leaf D capitula E inner phyllary E ' middle phyllary E " outer phyllary F floret F ' floret (pappus removed) G synantherous H style branches I achene. Voucher: C. Y. Chang 1442 (TCF).

Figure 2. Cirsium tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang A habitat B habit C seedling D variations of leaves E inflorescences F capitula G floret; (right-side pappus removed) H achene with pappus I achene.

Figure 3. Distribution map of Cirsium tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang (star); C. kawakamii Hayata (triangle); and C. arisanense Kitam. (circle) of Taiwan.

Figure 4. Holotypes of the three species of Cirsium sect. Onotrophe in Taiwan. A C. tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang, C. Y. Chang 1444 (TCF) B C. kawakamii Hayata, T. Kawakami & U. Mori 2279 (TI!) C C. arisanense Kitam., S. Kitamura s. n. (KYO!).

Figure 5. Comparison of the morphological characters amongst the species of Cirsium sect. Onotrophe in Taiwan. A C. tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang B C. kawakamii Hayata C C. arisanense Kitam.: 1 leaf 2 capitula 3 inner phyllary 3 ' middle phyllary 3 " outer phyllary 4 floret 4 ' floret (pappus removed) 5 synantherous 6 style branches 7 achene 7 ' achene with pappus.

Figure 6. Chromosome number of the two species of Cirsium subsect. Nipponocirsium Kitam. in Taiwan. A 2 n = 64, C. tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang B 2 n = 64, C. kawakamii Hayata. Scale bar: 5 μm.

Figure 7. Comparison of the pollen morphology of the three species of Cirsium sect. Onotrophe in Taiwan. A C. tatakaense Y. H. Tseng & C. Y. Chang B C. kawakamii Hayata C C. arisanense Kitam.: 1 polar view 2 equatorial view 3 colporate view. Scale bar: 30 μm.