Chenopodiastrum badachschanicum (Tzvelev) S.Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch, Willdenowia 42(1): 14 (2012)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 33-35

2. Chenopodiastrum badachschanicum (Tzvelev) S.Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch, Willdenowia 42(1): 14 (2012)

≡ Chenopodium badachschanicum Tzvelev, Bot. Mater. Gerb. Bot. Inst. Komarova Acad. Nauk SSSR 20: 434 (1960).

Holotype.

TAJIKISTAN, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous province, West Pamir, in declivitate lapidosa paulo ruderata in valle fl. Murgab 3-4 km infra ostium fl. Pschart occidentalis, 3300 m alt., 19 June 1958, N.N. Tzvelev 220 (LE, currently on loan in H!).

Taxonomic notes.

The “true” Chenopodiastrum hybridum reported for some territories (e.g. Chowdhery 1984, Zhu et al. 2003) is not present in Himalaya and Tibet. Additionally, we are uncertain that C. badachschanicum described from the Pamir Mountains ( Tzvelev 1960) is the correct name for our populations. As recently recognised (Sukhorukov in prep.), the seed surface plays a significant role in the diagnostics of many species of the genus. The type material of C. badachschanicum bears small plants (up to 25 cm) with acutely lobed leaves but without ripe seeds. The similar individuals at the fruiting stage were collected in East Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and their fruits have adherent pericarp and clearly pitted seeds (like those of C. hybridum ). The plants growing in Himalaya and Tibet are quite uniform in their morphological characters and possess the fruit with loose pericarp and rugulose seed surface. C. badachschanicum complex needs further investigations.

Description

(based on the specimens growing in our area): Annual up to 100 cm, almost glabrous or only slightly mealy in the upper part. Leaf axils with numerous fertile or sterile brachyblasts. Leaves long-petiolate, continuously shortening upwards; petioles 3.0-10.0 cm; blades 4.0-10.0 cm long, triangular-hastate, entire or with 1-2 unequal lateral lobes in lower part of the leaves, apex attenuate (similar to the leaves of Atriplex micrantha C.A.Mey.). Inflorescence leafy or bracteose, consisting of short lat eral branches with scattered yellow glands. Perianth segments halfway connate, slightly keeled in the upper part or smooth; margins in the upper part of the segments covered with bladder hairs intermixed with scattered simple hairs. Fruit 1.3-1.8 mm (usually 1.4-1.7 mm) long, 0.9-1.1 mm thick, pericarp brownish, easily ruptured at maturity, slightly alveolate or smooth in dry fruits (with tiny papillae in fresh or soaked fruits). Seed depressed globular, black, keeled, shiny, rugulose, with sinuous surface as well as scattered indistinct longitudinal striae with shallow pits (Fig. 13C, D ).

Habitat.

Rocks and screes, meadows; margins of spruce and pine forests; 2000-4400 m a.s.l. The collectors also indicate that the species often grows on mossy substrates.

Phenology.

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

Distribution.

See Fig. 14 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Kham (Tibet), Yangtse river basin, 12000 ft a.s.l., 31 Aug 1900, Ladygin 515 (LE); Lhasa City: Lhasa, 3760 m a.s.l., 28 Jun 1960, Fu 286 (PE00511716); Lhasa, 3680 m a.s.l., 27 Aug 1965, Zhang & Lang 2164 (PE00511521); Lhasa, 12000 ft a.s.l., [without date and collector] 20298 (DD); Shannan Prefecture: Lhozhag (Luozha) County, 3718 m a.s.l., 28°10'48.91"N, 91°14'57.28"E, [without date], Y.S.Chen et al. 13-1348 (PE01992193); Nyingchi Prefecture: Bomi County, Sumzom (Songzong), 3500 m a.s.l., 5 Sep 1965, Ying & Hong 651140 (PE00511513); Mainling (Milin) County, 3100 m a.s.l., 26 Jul 1972, Tibet Chinese Herbal Medicine Survey Team 4174 (PE00511517); Zayü (Chayu) County, 2000 m a.s.l., 1 Jul 1980, Ni et al. 0328 (PE00511511); Zayü (Chayu) County, 2551 m a.s.l., 28°51'38.79"N, 97°28'49.11"E, 14 Sep 2012, FLPH Tibet Expedition 12-0800 (PE01967926); Zayü (Chayu) County, 14 Sep 2012, FLPH Tibet Expedition 12-1172 (PE01967978); Qamdo Prefecture: [Baxoi (Basu) County] north of Rawu (Ranwu) Town, 4000 m a.s.l., 29 Aug 1976, Wu et al. 5146 (KUN 0587309); Banbar (Bianba) County, 3700-3900 m a.s.l., 8 Sep 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team 11223 (PE00511522); Jomda (Jiangda) County, E of Jomda (Jiangda), 31°28'59"N, 98°16'39"E, 3900 m a.s.l., 4 Aug 2009, D.E. Boufford et al. 41918 & 41349 (MSB156625, P05158929, PE01899404); Baxoi (Basu) County, 29°31'52.3"N, 96°33'7.6"E, 3781 m a.s.l., 12 Aug 2011, Yu et al. 5326 (PE);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: Wandla to Kalotse [Wanla to Khaltse], 12000 ft a.s.l., 18 Aug 1847, T.T. Thomson s.n. (K); Leh, Jul 1848, Thomson s.n. (K); Sonamarg, 1 Sep 1876, C.B. Clarke 30899 (K); Gurais valley, 22 Sep 1893, J.F. Duthie 14083 (LE, WU021390); Pahalgam, 8000 ft a.s.l., 24 Aug 1922, R.R. Stewart s.n. (K); Kistawar, 22 Sep 1958, T.A. Rao 7870 (BSD); Himachal Pradesh: Kinnaur Distr., 3000 m a.s.l., 31 Aug 1963, N.C. Nair 30282 (BSD); Kinnaur Distr., Purbani vill., 2500 m a.s.l., 7 Oct 1971, K.P. Janardhanan 46511 (BSD); Uttarakhand: Tehri Garhwal [Distr.], 10000 ft a.s.l., Jul 1883, J.F. Duthie 130 (K); Lahaul, Kyelang, 3200 m a.s.l., 13 Aug 1970, U.C. Bhattacharyya 40786 (BSD); Garhwal, 2600 m a.s.l., 15 Aug 1974, B.D. Naithani 54038 (BSD); Chamoli Distr., Malari, 2 Sep 1975, B.D. Naithani 55992 (BSD); Uttarkashi Distr., Lanka vill., 3000 m a.s.l., 29 Aug 1983, U.C. Bhattacharyya 74604 (BSD);

NEPAL: Midwestern: Karnali Zone: [Mugu Distr.] Purana Mugu, Mugu Khola, 13000 ft a.s.l., 23 Aug 1952, O. Polunin, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 3010 (LE); Rapti Zone: [Rukum Distr., nr Ranmamaikot] Seng Khola, 13000 ft a.s.l., 2 Oct 1954, J. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 4674 (LE); reported for the Mustang District ( Yonekura 2008).

General distribution.

Himalaya and Tibet: in Nepal, parts of India (Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand), China (Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang and Yunnan) and Pakistan (Swat and Quetta). Also present in South Siberia (Altai Mountains).

Figures

Figure 13. SEM micrographs of Chenopodiastrum murale (A, B) and C. badachschanicum (C, D) seeds. Magnification: 50 x (A, C), 200 x (B, D).

Figure 14. Distribution map of Chenopodiastrum murale (circles) and C. badachschanicum (stars).