Corispermum gelidum Iljin, Fl. USSR 6: 875 (1936)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 90-91

8. Corispermum gelidum Iljin, Fl. USSR 6: 875 (1936)

Corispermum gelidum Iljin, Fl. USSR 6: 875 (1936). Holotype: [TAJIKISTAN] In ditione lacum Rang-kul, prope vallem Zor-Burljuk [nr Rang-kul Lake, Zor-Burlyuk valley], 29 Aug 1935, H. Raikova s.n. (TASH - photo! isotype LE!).

= C. pamiricum Iljin var. pilocarpum Tsien & C.G.Ma in Kung & al., Acta Phytotax. Sin. 16(1): 118 (1978) syn. nov.

Lectotype

(Sukhorukov, designated here): CHINA, Xizang, Rutog (Ritu) County, Rabang (Rebang), in lakeside sands, 4360 m a.s.l., 28 Aug 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team Vegetation Group 13656-B (PE00024045! isolectotype PE00640936!).

Taxonomic notes.

Corispermum gelidum and C. pamiricum var. pilocarpum are synonymised here for the first time due to the presence of stellate hairs on the fruit surface. Other anatomical characters of the fruit are similar and overlapping (compare with Sukhorukov 2007b, Sukhorukov et al. 2014). However, the authentic specimens of C. pamiricum var. pilocarpum possess a small (ca. 0.15 mm) fruit wing, whereas the type specimen of C. gelidum has a prominent (0.3-0.4 mm) wing.

Description.

Annual up to 20 cm, glabrescent. Leaves linear to narrowly oblong, up to 3.0 × 0.5(0.7) cm. Inflorescence short. Bracts shorter than leaves, lanceolate, (almost) completely covering the fruit, appressed to the stem. Fruit 2.6-3.5 × 1.7-2.0 mm, 0.40-0.60 mm thick, flat or folded adaxially, with triangular apex terminating in slightly emarginate beak, with stellate hairs and mostly warty (Fig. 36C ), sometimes with groups of dark-brown tanniniferous cells. Wing 0.15-0.45 mm, entire to dentate, broadly triangular in cross-section. Sclereids in the medium fruit part composed of 1-2 layers located parallel to the fruit axis.

Habitat.

Sandy places at altitudes of 3500-4800 m.

Phenology.

Flowering: July-September; fruiting: August-October.

Distribution.

See Fig. 37 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Ngari Prefecture: Rutog (Ritu) County, Rabang (Rebang) Distr., 4300 m a.s.l., 28 Aug 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team 76-9128 (PE00540421); Rutog (Ritu) County, Rabang (Rebang) Distr., 4500 m a.s.l., 28 Aug 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team Meadow Group 76-12970 (PE00541028); both specimens were labelled as Corispermum pamiricum var. pilocarpum ;

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: Ladakh, Shyok (E), Pangong Lake to Chagar Tso, 4320 m a.s.l., 10 Sep 2002, L. Klimeš 2712 (PRA); Ladakh, Shyok (E), Takthak, 4100-4110 m a.s.l., 11 Sep 2002, L. Klimeš 2730 (PRA); Ladakh, Rupshu Region, Tso Moriri, 4550-4560 m a.s.l., Lema to Peldo, 13 Sep 2005, L. Klimeš 6307 (PRA).

General distribution.

Tajikistan (Pamir) and adjacent parts of China, India and Pakistan.

Figures

Figure 36. SEM micrographs of Corispermum fruits: A C. lhasaense B C. lepidocarpum C C. gelidum D C. tibeticum. Magnification: 30 x.

Figure 37. Distribution map of Corispermum lepidocarpum (circles), C. gelidum (stars) and C. tibeticum (triangles).