Oxybasis glauca (L.) S.Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch, Willdenowia 42(1): 15 (2012)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 35-37

1. Oxybasis glauca (L.) S.Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch, Willdenowia 42(1): 15 (2012)

≡ Chenopodium glaucum L., Sp. Pl.: 220 (1753). Lectotype (designated by Uotila 1993): Herb. Linn. 313.17 (LINN! image of the lectotype available at http://linnean-online.org/3142/).

≡ Botrys glauca (L.) Nieuwl., Am. Midl. Naturalist 3: 275 (1914).

Description.

Annual up to 70 cm, branched from the base, sometimes forming cushion-like habit at high elevations; stem often prostrate to ascending, rarely straight. Leaves up to 6 × 2 cm, petiolate, cuneate at base, oblong or lanceolate, dentate or lobate with 2-5 lobes, rarely entire, green adaxially, grey or whitish below. Inflorescence leafy, loose. Perianth segments 3 to 5, almost free with hyaline margins, keeled along midrib, opened at fruiting stage. Fruit 0.65-0.8 mm in diameter, pericarp smooth, whitish, often ruptured. Seed reddish, without keel; embryo in both vertical and horizontal positions (spatial heterospermy), structural (latent) heterospermy expressed in different thickness of seed-coat testa.

Habitat.

Rocks, streams or other wet (often sandy) places; 2800-4600 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

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

Distribution.

See Fig. 15 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Ngari Prefecture: Rutog (Ritu) County, west of Lake Bangong (Pangong Tso), 4200 m a.s.l., 11 Jul 1974, Biological Institute Tibet Expedition Team 3604 (HNWP40756); Rutog (Ritu) County, Lake Bangong (Pangong Tso), 4240 m a.s.l., 4 Sep 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team Vegetation Group 13673 (PE00511499); Xigazê Prefecture: Tingri, Jul 1921, A. Wollaston 265 & 266 (K); Namling (Nanmulin) County, Gangba, 4000 m a.s.l., 3 Aug 1972, Tibet Chinese Herbal Medicine Survey Team 983 (PE00511498, HNWP29013); Gyangzê (Jiangzi) County, 3760 m a.s.l., 5 Sep 1974, Qinghai-Tibet Team 74-2068 (KUN0587252); Lhasa City: Lhasa, 15 Apr 1960, Fu & Zhang 0046 (PE00511501); Shannan Prefecture: Zetang, Changzhu, 3550 m a.s.l., 27 May 1986, K.Y. Lang et al. 1470 (PE00511496); Nyingchi Prefecture: [Nyingchi (Linzhi) County] Tsangpo, nr Lamdo, 29°23'N, 94°22'E, 9800 ft a.s.l., 30 May 1938, F. Ludlow et al. 4574 (BM, E);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: [without locality and date] Jacquemont 1151 (P04993386; P04993387); Leh, 1 Aug 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 59401 (BSD); Tirit vill., 3200 m a.s.l., 18 Aug 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 59977 (BSD); Lukurg to Chushul, 4275 m a.s.l., 29 Aug 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 60174 (BSD); Ladakh, Rupshu Region, Tso Moriri, 4590 m a.s.l., 16 Jul 2000, L. Klimeš 923 (PRA); Ladakh, Rupshu Region, Samad Rokchen, 4550 m a.s.l., 8 Sep 2005, L. Klimeš 6253 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sham (W), Wanla to Tarchit, 3160-3180 m a.s.l., 20 Sep 2006, L. Klimeš 7280 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sham (W), Angshang to Konzke La, 4310-4370 m a.s.l., 21 Sep 2006, L. Klimeš 7308 (PRA).

The specimens collected in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and identified as " Chenopodium glaucum " belong to other taxa, mostly Atriplex pallida (Moq.) Sukhor.

NEPAL: Western: Dhaulagiri Zone: Mustang Distr., Chuksang (2970 m a.s.l.)-Tetang (3000 m a.s.l.)-Gnyu Pass (4100 m a.s.l.), 28°55' N– 28°51'N, 83°49'E, 13 Jul 2000, Y. Iokawa et al. 20020169 (E00435483).

General distribution.

Eurasia (mostly temperate regions), North America, North Africa. In Himalaya and Tibet, the species is found at high altitudes (2800-4600 m a.s.l.) and the plants hardly reach 30 cm in length. Its frequency is not known, but it seems to be rare in our area.

Figures

Figure 15. Distribution map of Oxybasis glauca.