Saussurea tsoongii Y. S. Chen, 2015

Chen, You-Sheng & Yuan, Qian, 2015, Twenty-six new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions, Phytotaxa 213 (3), pp. 159-211 : 160-162

1. Saussurea tsoongii Y. S. Chen , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Type:— CHINA. Xizang: Qamdo County, 22 August 1952, P. C. Tsoong 5243 (holotype PE).

Saussurea nematolepi s auct.: Liu (1996: 459), non Ling (1949: 67).

Herbs biennial, 38–180 cm tall. Stems solitary or several, erect, usually branched both at ground and upper ground level, sometimes only apically branched, narrowly winged; wings dentate. Basal and lower stem leaves petiolate; leaf blade narrowly elliptic, 5–15 cm long, 0.5–2.5 cm wide, runcinate-pinnately lobed (upper leaves few-dentate to entire), lateral segments 3–6 pairs, lobes triangular-ovate, margin entire or dentate, both surfaces green, glandular scabrid, base semiamplexicaul and decurrent, apex acute. Middle and upper stem leaves gradually smaller upward on stem, sessile, base decurrent. Capitula (3–)6–16 clustered at end of branches in a large paniculiform or corymbiform synflorescence. Capitula numerous, shortly pedunculate; peduncles 0.3–1(–2) cm long. Involucre campanulate, 5–10 mm high, 5–8 mm in diameter. Phyllaries in ca. 5 rows, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent, apex acute to acuminate, widened, purple, appressed, densely lanate; outer phyllaries ovate, 2–3 mm long, ca. 1.5 mm wide, apex acute; middle and inner phyllaries narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic, 6–9 mm long, 1.2–1.6 mm wide. Receptacle bristles 4–5 mm long. Corolla light purple or white, ca. 10 mm long, gland-dotted, tube ca. 4 mm, limb ca. 6 mm, lobes ca. 3 mm. Anthers purple black, ca. 5.5 mm long including tails; tails lacerate, ca. 1 mm long. Stigma white, style branches ca. 1 mm long. Achenes obconic, dark brown, 2–4 mm long. Pappus straw-colored; outer bristles ca. 3 mm long, scabrid; inner bristles 8–10 mm long, plumose.

Distribution and habitat:— Saussurea tsoongii occurs in southern Qinghai, northwestern Sichuan and northeastern Xizang, China. It grows in grassy slopes, thickets or forest margin at altitudes of 2800–3800 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to September.

Etymology:—The specific epithet is derived from the name of P. C. Tsoong, who is the collector of the type material and a famous botanist in China. Chinese name: DKṈLẄ.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— CHINA. Qinghai: Chindu County, Xiwu Xiang, SE of Chumda, along east side of Tongtian He River , 32°55 ʹ N, 97°20 ʹ E, on steep bare earth slopes, 3400 m, 16 August 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 1930 ( BM, E, GH, HNWP, KUN, PE) ; Chindu County, Xiwu Xiang, Saibagou , 3500 m, 11 August 1977, S. W. Liu 2518 ( HNWP) ; Nangqên County, east of the village of Qiando, on west side of Za Qu river , 32°8 ʹ N, 96°34 ʹ E, on roadside banks, 3500–3550 m, 5 September 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2909 ( BM, E, GH, KUN, PE) ; Yushu County, Jiegu Xiang, Tongtian He bridge, grassy slopes, 3700–3800 m, 26 August 1964, C. Y. Yang 765 ( HNWP, PE) ; Yushu County, east of Jiangxi Forest Station, on east side of Zi Qu river , SE of Mozhong, in Picea forests, 3540 m, 27 August 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2495 ( BM, E, GH, PE) ; Yushu County, Jiangxi Forest Station , forest margin, 3500 m, 3 September 1980, Z. D. Wei 22170 ( HNWP) ; Sichuan: Batang County, Yawa , 2800 m, 15 September 1973, HNWP Tibet Expedition 2968 ( HNWP) ; Batang County, Yawa , in thickets, 3000 m, 18 September 1973, Sichuan Vegetation Expedition 3934 ( CDBI, PE) ; Xizang: Jomda County, Tongpu , in thickets, 3300 m, 26 August 1973, HNWP Tibet Expedition 2243 ( HNWP) ; Qamdo County, Gama, south of Daideng Temple , along Za Qu river , 32°02 ʹ N, 97°00 ʹ E, grassy slopes, 3520 m, 2 August 2010, Kham Expedition 10-1114 ( PE) ; Qamdo County, western mountains, 3600 m, 22 August 1973, HNWP Tibet Expedition 1990 ( HNWP) .

Discussion:—Specimens of Saussurea tsoongii have been previously often misidentified as S. dzeurensis Franchet (1894: 339) , S. nematolepis Ling (1949: 67) , S. pseudomalitiosa Lipschitz (1954: 76) or S. japonica ( Thunberg 1784: 723) Candolle (1810: 203) . Liu (1996) recorded the occurrence of S. nematolepis in Chindu County and Yushu County in southern Qinghai Province, China. We found, however, that all the specimens from southern Qinghai formerly identified as S. nematolepis are very different from its type material and should be referred to S. tsoongii . In fact, we have not as yet found any authentic specimens of S. nematolepis from Qinghai. This species is currently known only from northern Sichuan and southwestern Gansu, China.

Saussurea tsoongii belongs to S. subgen. Theodorea Cassini (1818: 168) because of its biennial habit, capitula in corymbiform or paniculiform synflorescence, and apex of inner phyllaries colored and membranous. In our molecular tree, S. tsoongii is shown to be closely related to S. pseudomalitiosa from Qinghai. It is similar to S. pseudomalitiosa in its stem narrowly dentate winged, leaf blade pinnately lobed, leaf base decurrent, inner phyllaries apex distinctly purple and somewhat widened, and pappus straw-colored, but differs by its capitula (3–)6–16 at end of branches (vs. 3–6 clustered at end of branches), involucre 5–8 mm in diameter (vs. 10–15 mm in diameter), phyllaries sparsely pubescent to glabrescent (vs. villous and gland-dotted), and corolla light purple or white (vs. purplish blue). A comparison of S. tsoongii with related species is given in Table 1.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Saussurea tsoongii. A. Flowering branch. B. Capitulum. C. Style branches. D. Corolla. E. Achene. F.Anther. G. Outer pappus bristle. H. Inner pappus bristle. I. Floret. J. Phyllaries (from left to right, outer to inner series). All from P. C. Tsoong 5243 (PE). Drawn by Mrs. Z.J. Chen.