Melanoseris penghuana Ze H.Wang & H.J.Dong, 2024

Xu, Jia-Ju, Wang, Ze-Huan, Dong, Hong-Jin, Tian, Qin, Chen, Li & Zhong, Qian-Qian, 2024, Melanoseris penghuana (Lactucinae, Cichorieae, Asteraceae), a new species from North-central Yunnan, China, PhytoKeys 238, pp. 1-10 : 1

Melanoseris penghuana Ze H.Wang & H.J.Dong sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2

Type.

China, Yunnan Province, Kunming City, Dongchuan District, Mt. Jiaozi Xueshan , Jiulonggou , 26°09.95'N, 102°54.83'E, alt. 3269 m, 12 Oct 2022, Tian Qin et al. 20221001 (holotype: KUN1584358!, isotypes: KUN1584356, 1584357!, GTZM0220112, 0220113!) .

Diagnosis.

Melanoseris penghuana is most similar to M. likiangensis , but differs from the latter primarily in the following characteristics: leaves thick papery (vs. papery), clearly hairy (vs. glabrous or sparsely hairy), terminal lobes of basal and lower leaves elongated triangular (vs. broad triangular), the length 3-4 times (vs. 1-1.5 times) that of the width; peduncles covered with simple filiform hairs (vs. multiseriate capitate glandular hairs), involucres glabrous (vs. glandular hispid), achenes ca. 9.5 mm (vs. ca. 7 mm).

Description.

Perennial herbs, 30-55 cm tall. Roots fleshy 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter, cylindrical, branched. Stems 1-2, emerging from the apex of a rhizome, erect, with a basal diameter of 3-4 mm, apically branched, covered with simple filiform hairs, especially at the apex. Basal leaves 24-40 × 4-9 cm, thick papery, elongated and narrowly elliptic, lyrately pinnatipartite; terminal lobes 10-18 × 4-8 cm, elongated triangular, apical acuminate to long acuminate; lateral lobes 2-5 pairs, 0.7-5 × 0.4-3 cm, inverted triangular, widest at base. Petioles 2-9 cm long, sparsely pubescent. Lower and middle stem leaves 11-23 × 3-5 cm, like basal leaves but smaller, lyrately pinnatipartite; terminal lobes 5-13 × 2-4 cm, elongated triangular, apex long acuminate; lateral lobes 3-4 pairs, 0.5-3 × 0.3-2 cm, inverted triangular. Petioles 1-2 cm long, narrowly winged, basally widened and clasping. Upper stem leaves like middle stem leaves but smaller, with a shorter petiole conspicuous winged and auriculately clasping. Uppermost leaves lanceolate, less divided or entire. All the leaves clearly covered with simple filiform hairs on both surfaces, especially on the veins; margins coarsely dentate, green adaxially, usually purplish-red abaxially. Capitulescence racemiform to narrowly paniculiform; peduncles clearly covered with simple filiform hairs, bracts few, inconspicuous, scale-like. Capitula few, pendulous, with 10-12 florets. Involucre 1.6-1.9 × 0.5 cm, cylindrical, dark purplish green, glabrous. Phyllaries imbricate, 4-5-seriate, with apex acute to acuminate, conspicuously reversed; outer phyllaries 2-3 × 1 mm, triangular ovate, margin occasionally with a few transparent protrusions; middle phyllaries 7-10 × 2-3 mm, long ovate; innermost phyllaries 8, 16-19 × 2 mm, narrowly lanceolate. Florets ligulate, tube ca. 4 mm long, light purple, ligules ca. 12 × 1.5 mm, 5-toothed at the apex, purple. Stamens synantherous, anther tube 5.0-5.2 mm long, dark purple. Ovary inferior, flattened, ellipsoid, style ca. 16 mm long, apically bifid, stigmatic braches ca. 1.2 mm long, long and acuminate, evenly coated with elongate collection hairs. Achenes 10 × 2 mm, fusiform, dark brown, each side with 3 raised longitudinal ribs, surface sparsely hairy, and apex contracted into a 3 mm beak, beak discolorous, with the top half being white. Pappus 2-seriate, white, outer seriate 0.1-0.2 mm, inner seriate ca. 7 mm long, finely serrated.

Distribution and habitat.

Melanoseris penghuana is currently observed growing on steep grassy slopes along the valley edge of Jiulonggou, Mt. Jiaozi Xueshan, at an elevation of approximately 3200 m (Fig. 3 ). The companion plants mainly include Youngia mairei (H. Léveillé) Babcock et Stebbins ( Asteraceae ), Saxifraga filicaulis Wallich ex Seringe ( Saxifragaceae ), Silene delavayi Franchet ( Caryophyllaceae ), Rubus delavayi Franchet ( Rosaceae ), Lilium sempervivoideum H. Léveillé ( Liliaceae ), Oreocharis mairei H. Léveillé ( Gesneriaceae ) etc.

Phenology.

Flowering and fruiting from September to October.

Etymology.

The specific epithet " Melanoseris penghuana " is named in honor of Professor Hua Peng, a renowned expert in plant taxonomy in China, for his outstanding contributions to the protection of Mt. Jiaozi Xueshan.

Vernacular name.

Simplified Chinese:彭氏毛鳞菊; Chinese Pinyin: Péngshì Máolínjú.

Conservation status.

Melanoseris penghuana is found distributed along the steep grassy slopes on both sides of the Jiulonggou valley in Mt. Jiaozi Xueshan, Yunnan Province. In 2021 and 2022, the authors discovered three subpopulations; each of them had a considerable number of flowering plants and seedlings with only rosette leaves. Preliminary estimates suggest that there are more than 250 mature individuals. Although the current survey indicates that the distribution of M. penghuana is relatively concentrated, it is worth noting that its distribution areas are located within the Jiaozi Xueshan National Nature Reserve, where human disturbance is minimal. As a result, its habitat is relatively well protected. Thus, based on its very restricted population and the number of mature individuals estimated to be larger than 250 but fewer than 1000 ( IUCN 2012, 2022), this new species should be classified as Vulnerable (VU; criteria D1).

Additional specimens examined.

China, Yunnan Province, Kunming City, Dongchuan District, Mt. Jiaozi Xueshan , Jiulonggou , 26°9.97'N, 102°54.92'E, alt. 3279 m, 6 Oct 2021, Dong Hong-Jin et al. D634 (KUN1584359!, GTZM0220114!); ibid, 26°09.95'N, 102°54.87'E, alt. 3281 m, 12 Oct 2022, Tian Qin et al. 20221002 (KUN1584360!, GTZM0220115!) .

Figures

Figure 1. Melanoseris penghuana sp. nov. A habitat B, C plants D root E trichomes on the peduncle under an anatomy microscope F trichomes on the peduncle under a light microscope (simple filiform hairs) G, H basal leaves I capitulum J involucre K achene L pappus. Photographed by Qin Tian.

Figure 2. A morphological comparison between Melanoseris penghuana and M. likiangensis A 1 - A 6 M. penghuana: A 1 basal leaves A 2 trichomes on the peduncle under an anatomy microscope A 3 simple filiform hairs on the leaves under a light microscope A 4 capitulum A 5 involucre A 6 achene B 1 - B 6 M. likiangensis: B 1 basal leaves B 2 trichomes on the peduncle under an anatomy microscope B 3 multiseriate capitate glandular hairs on the leaves under a light microscope B 4 capitulum B 5 involucre B 6 achene. Scale bars: 2 mm. A 1 - A 2, A 4, A 5 were photographed by Qin Tian, others were photographed by Ze-Huan Wang.

Figure 3. Distribution map of Melanoseris penghuana and M. likiangensis.