Chenopodium karoi (Murr) Aellen, Fedd. Repert. 26: 149 (1929)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 22-25

5. Chenopodium karoi (Murr) Aellen, Fedd. Repert. 26: 149 (1929)

≡ C. album subsp. karoi Murr, Neu. Übers. Farn & Blütenpfl. Vorarlberg 1: 97 (1923). Lectotype (designated here by Sukhorukov): [RUSSIA] Nerczynsk [Nerchinsk], dump places, 1892, Karo 169 (G00405813!).

= C. prostratum Bunge in Herder, Acta Hort. Petrop. 10: 594 (1889) nom. illegit. non Schultes (1820). The name is a later homonym (ICN, art. 53.1). Lectotype ( Uotila and Lomonosova 2016): [RUSSIA, Saha Republic] Nizhnekolymsk, 6 July 1832, Sharypov 20 (LE01015991!).

=(?) C. jenissejense Aellen & Iljin, Fl. SSSR 6: 873 (1936). Lectotype ( Uotila and Lomonosova 2016): [RUSSIA] Yenisey Prov., Turukhanskiy Krai [Krasnoyarskiy Krai, Turukhanskiy distr.], Kureyka river mouth, 66°30'N, 87°17'E, sandy and pebbly river bank, 7 Sep 1914, N.I. Kuznetsov & V. Reverdatto 4102 (LE01015992! for individuals at the bottom and to the right; isolectotypes - G! LE! NS). This species was only recently synonymised with Chenopodium karoi ( Uotila and Lomonosova 2016). However, C. jenissejense is quite distinct in its morphological characters and needs to be studied in detail.

Description.

The species is similar to C. album , but plants are dark green, usually with ascendant or prostrate stems up to 25 cm. Leaves ± ovate, somewhat longer than broad, sometimes inconspicuously three-lobed. Fruit 1.1-1.3 mm, pericarp reticulate in dry fruits, soaked papillae up to 50 µm long (Fig. 8A ). Seed margin obtuse, surface with sinuate furrows (Fig. 8B, C ).

Habitat.

Disturbed areas, rocky habitats; 2500-5100 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

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

Distribution.

Common plant in many parts of Himalaya and Tibet (Fig. 7 ).

Specimens examined.

BHUTAN: Mongar Distr., Lingmethang, 14 Jun 1992, C. Parker 7241 (E);

CHINA: Xizang: Ngari Prefecture: Burang County, Langacuo lake, 4560 m a.s.l., 27 Aug 1990, Y. Fei et al. 667 (KUN0265513); Nagqu Prefecture: Shuanghu County, 4850 m a.s.l., 22 Jul 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team Lang 9780 (KUN0587328); N Xizang, Jialin, 5100 m a.s.l., 24 Jul 1976, Gansu Agriculture University 088 (PE00541004); Xigazê Prefecture: Tingri, Jul 1921, A. Wollaston 264 (BM); [Gyangste County] Kala [tso], 14000 ft a.s.l., 8 Aug 1936, Chapman 499 (K); [Tingri County] Shelkar Dzong, 14000 ft a.s.l., 24 Jun 1938, Lloyd 81 (K); [Gyantse] Gobshi, 14000 ft a.s.l., 16 Aug 1936, Chapman 230 (K); Gyangzê (Jiangzi) County, 3960 m a.s.l., 5 Sep 1974, Qinghai-Tibet Team 74-2070 (KUN0587330); Qamdo Prefecture: Baxoi (Basu) County, Nu river, 3000 m a.s.l., 5 Jul 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team 12208 (KUN0586973);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: Ladakh, between Nubra & Leh, 4 Sep 1848, T.T. Thomson s.n. (K); Zanskar, Bok, 13 Sep 1931, W. Koelz 2948 (LE); Ladakh, Uphse–Murul, 3500 m a.s.l., 7 Aug 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 59711 (BSD); Ladakh, Saspole, 4200 m a.s.l., 29 Jul 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 59341 (BSD); Ladakh, Rangdum, 4000 m a.s.l., 1980, Southampton Univ. Team 126 (K); Ladakh, Kanji, 15300 ft a.s.l., 30 Jun 1984, anonym 52 (K); Ladakh, Zanskar, Zara vill., 4330 m a.s.l., 31 Aug 2001, L. Klimeš 1442 (PRA); Ladakh, Domkhar Dha, Kanji vill., 3900 m a.s.l., 18 Aug 2003, L. Klimeš 3060 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Domkhar Dha, Kilchu vill., 4000 m a.s.l., 19 Aug 2003, L. Klimeš s.n. (PRA); Ladakh, Suru Region, Kanji Nullah, 4180 m a.s.l., 21 Aug 2003, L. Klimeš 3161 (PRA); Ladakh, Zanskar Region, S of Padum, 4150 m a.s.l., 29 Aug 2003, L. Klimeš 3322 (PRA); Ladakh, Rupshu region, Tso Moriri, 4550 m a.s.l., 13 Sep 2005, L. Klimeš 6314 (PRA); Himachal Pradesh: Lahaul, Sep 1869, anonym s.n. (K); Lahaul, Jispa vill., 13000 ft a.s.l., 11 Aug 1930, W. Koelz 1003 (P05158996); Badadara, 3975 m a.s.l., 11 Sep 1961, N.C. Nair 16855 (BSD); Chandra Tal, 4 Jul 2003, S.K. Srivastava 103111 (BSD);

NEPAL: Western: Dhaulagiri Zone: [Mustang Distr.] Kali Gandaki, ESE of Thini [Thinigaun], 12500 ft a.s.l., 19 Jul 1977, G. Miehe 227 & 228 (BM); Mustang [Distr.] Lo Tsho Dhyun, Yara [Yara Gaun] area, 16 Jul 1998, W.R. Sykes 331/98 (E00649126); Mustang Distr., Tangbe, 28°54'N, 83°49'E, 3065 m a.s.l., 31 Aug 2001, G. & S. Miehe & Koch 01-098-02 (herb. Miehe); Mustang Distr., Marpha vill., 2600 m a.s.l., 17 Apr 2009, A. Sukhorukov s.n. (E, MW).

General distribution.

Himalaya, Central Asia, Siberia.

Figures

Figure 7. Distribution map of Chenopodium harae (stars) and C. karoi (circles).

Figure 8. SEM micrographs of Chenopodium fruits and seeds. A pericarp surface of C. karoi B, C seed of C. karoi D fruit of C. bengalense enclosed in perianth E, F seed of C. bengalense. Magnification: 350 x (A), 50 x (B, D, E), 200 x (C, F).