Chrysanthemum bizarre C. Z. Shen, 2020

Meng, Shi-Yong, Wu, Lei & Shen, Chu-Ze, 2020, Chrysanthemum bizarre, a new species of Chrysanthemum from Hunan, China, Phytotaxa 442 (3), pp. 215-224 : 220

Chrysanthemum bizarre C. Z. Shen sp. nov. Figures 4–5

Type:— CHINA. Hunan: Zhangjiajie Co., Tianmen Mt., rock crevices on cliff, 1300–1400 m, September 30, 2019, L. Wu 19093025 (holotype, CSFI! isotype, PE).

Diagnosis: The plants are similar to those of C. vestitum var. vestitum and C. vestitum var. latifolium but differ in the following combination of characters: triangular ovate leaves, a long petiole with wings; larger trichomes in the adaxial surface of leaves; flowering scape is branchless and has a solitary capitulum on each stem; outmost phyllaries are leaflike.

Description: Herbs, perennial, 0.2–0.5 m tall. The procumbent rhizomes over the ground are long and fragile. The stems are procumbent or pendulous and ascendant at anthesis, solitary, unbranched or rarely 1– or 2–branched, densely pubescent and then becoming sparsely pubescent. The leaves are crowded at stem apex during the vegetative period, and the lower and middle stem leaves are usually withered at anthesis. Middle stem leaves: petiole 1–2.5 cm; leaf blade broadly to triangularly ovate, 2.5–3.5× 2–3 cm, olive, abaxially sparsely appressed pubescent or glabrescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent, grayish green, pinnatifid or inconspicuously divided, and cuneate toward the base. The leaf margins extend downward along the petiole. The distal stem leaves are sessile or subsessile, gradually smaller, and coarsely toothed or lyrate-pinnatipartite. The capitula are solitary, rarely comprised of two, and 2.5–4 cm in diameter. The involucres are cup-shaped; phyllaries in four rows, abaxially densely appressed pubescent, carious margin white, outer ones leaflike, herbaceous, elliptical, coarsely toothed, 0.8–1.2 cm, middle and inner ones linear-lanceolate, or elliptical, 6–8 mm. Ray floret lamina white, approximately 1.4 cm. Achenes approximately 1.5 mm.

Distribution and Habitat: C. bizarre has only been observed on Tianmen Mountain, western Hunan, China. It grows on rocky cliffs or sometimes in rocky mountain slopes at elevations of 800–1,480 m. The distribution of this species is relatively limited. Moreover, it is one of the few Chrysanthemum species that can grow on bare cliffs.

Phenology: C. bizarre is a late flowering species compared with other members of the genus. It flowers from late September to middle October and produces fruit in late October to early November.

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the bizarre appearance of plant compared with other species that belong to the C. indicum complex ( Li et al. 2014). It may also be a member of Sect. Chlorochlamys Shih (1980: 9) because its leaflike outer-phyllaries. In particular, the procumbent rhizomes of the species grow above ground and are usually slightly lignified that leads them to sometimes appear as if they are sarmentous plants.

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes): — CHINA. Hunan: Zhangjiajie Co., Tianmen Mt. , 1143 m, October 6, 2014, J. J. Zhou 14100601(CSFI027294; CSFI027295; CSFI027296; CSFI027297!)

Type specimens have been designated:

Figures

FIGURE 4. Line drawing of Chrysanthemum bizarre C. Z. Shen, A: Habit; B: Leaf; C: Capitulum; D: Ray floret; E: Disk floret; F: Disk floret except corolla; G: Achenes. Drawing by Ye Lv.

FIGURE 5. Holotype of Chrysanthemum bizarre C. Z. Shen (CSFI 069612)