Saussurea chinduensis Y. S. Chen, 2015

Chen, You-Sheng & Yuan, Qian, 2015, Twenty-six new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions, Phytotaxa 213 (3), pp. 159-211 : 192-194

18. Saussurea chinduensis Y. S. Chen , sp. nov. ( Fig. 18 )

Type:— CHINA. Qinghai: Chindu County, Xiewu Xiang , Anbala Shan pass, alpine grassy slopes or Salix thickets, 33°08 ʹ N, 97°28 ʹ E, 4380–4450 m, 30 July 2010, Kham Expedition 10-0931 (holotype PE; isotypes PE) .

Saussurea eopygmaea auct.: Liu (1996: 465), p. p., non Handel-Mazzetti (1937: 650).

Herbs perennial, 10–50 cm tall, more or less caespitose. Caudex branched at ground level, apically covered with brown remains of leaf sheaths, sterile leaf rosettes and flowering stems. Stems erect, simple, densely white lanate. Basal leaves sessile, linear, 5–14 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, adaxially light green, sparsely pilose, abaxially densely white lanate and with a conspicuous midvein, base somewhat widened, sheathing stem, and densely lanate, margin revolute, apex acute to acuminate. Stem leaves few, shorter. Capitula 3–10, sessile or shortly pedunculate, terminal on stem in dense corymbiform synflorescence. Involucre campanulate, 4–6 mm in diameter and 1.6–1.8 cm high. Phyllaries in 4–5 rows, blackish, densely white villous, apex acuminate and appressed; outer phyllaries narrowly elliptic, 12–15 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide; middle phyllaries narrowly elliptic, 12–15 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide; inner phyllaries linear, ca. 15 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide. Corolla purplish blue, ca. 12 mm long, tube ca. 6 mm long, limb ca. 6 mm long, lobes ca. 4 mm long. Anthers purplish black, ca. 7 mm long including tails; tails lanate, ca. 2 mm long. Achenes cylindroid, ca. 3.5 mm long, glabrous, ribbed. Pappus in two series; outer pappus scabrid, whitish, 1.8–2 mm long; inner pappus plumose, dark brown, ca. 10 mm long.

Distribution and habitat: — Saussurea chinduensis is currently known from southern Qinghai, China. It grows on sandy grassy slopes, thickets, forest margin or rocky slopes at altitudes of 3550–4500 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from July to September.

Etymology:—The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Chindu County, Qinghai Province, China. Chinese name: ŨØṈLẄ.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— CHINA. Qinghai: Chindu County, valley northeast of Yushu , on the road between Madoi and Yushu, steeper slopes, 3850 m, 14 August 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 1780 ( BM, E, GH, PE) ; Nangqên County, Beca Xiang, along the Ba Qu towards the Tibet border from Beca forest station, forest margin, 3790 m, 8 September 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2994 ( BM, E, GH, PE) ; Nangqên County, Kanda Xia, the gorge leading east from the Za Qu on road from Nangqen to Yushu , shrubby slopes, 3650 m, 4 September 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2871 ( BM, E, GH, PE) ; Nangqên County, Jinisai Xiang , rocky slopes, 4450–4500 m, 15 July 1965, Y. C. Yang 1160 ( PE) ; Yushu County, Anchong , in thickets and meadows, 4000 m, 12 August 1964, Y. C. Yang 625 ( HNWP, PE, WUK) ; Yushu County, southwest of Machang, in a side valley on south of Baitang He basin, rock outcrops in sun and shade, 4000 m, 20 August 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2132 ( BM, GH, PE) ; Yushu County, south of road between Yushu and Gyairong , 3850–3950 m, 19 August 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2091 ( BM, E, PE) ; Yushu County, Xiao Surmang, between Jerikug and the Tibet border, west side of valley with grazed meadows, 3550–3650 m, 24 August 1996, T. N. Ho et al. 2336 ( BM, E, GH, PE) .

Discussion:—When studying Asteraceae specimens from Qinghai collected by T. N. Ho, we found some specimens that were identified as S. eopygmaea Handel-Mazzetti (1937: 650) . However, we understood that S. eopygmaea is a synonym of S. brunneopilosa Handel-Mazzetti (1937: 651) , which has been widely accepted ( Lipschitz 1979; Shi & Jin 1999; Shi & Raab-Straube 2011). We have checked both type material of the above taxa, and agree that S. eopygmaea is a synonym of S. brunneopilosa . The above T. N. Ho ʹ s specimens are very similar to S. brunneopilosa in their habit and linear grasslike leaves, but distinctly different by their numerous smaller capitula. Are they a variety or just a form of S. brunneopilosa? In 2010 , we have chance to take an expedition to southern Qinghai and successfully collected this kind of specimens. After comparison with S. brunneopilosa and other related taxa, we believe these specimens represent an undescribed new species.

Saussurea chinduensis belongs to S. subgen. Saussurea sect. Lagurostemon ( Cassini 1828: 466) Candolle (1838: 532) because its leaf blade entire, linear and grsslike, root and caudex not fibrously split. Our molecular tree shows S. chinduensis is closely related to S. brunneopilosa . In fact, S. chinduensis is similar to S. brunneopilosa , S. pseudograminea Wang et al. (2014: 4) and S. pubescens Chen et al. (1981: 95) in its habit and linear grasslike leaves. Saussurea chinduensis differs from the above related species by its capitula 3–10, involucre 4–6 mm in diameter, phyllaries apex appressed, corolla purplish blue, and inner pappus dark brown. Saussurea brunneopilosa is different by its capitula solitary, involucre ca. 2 cm in diameter, phyllaries apically purple, densely brown and white villous, outer phyllaries apically usually reflexed, apex long acuminate, corolla purple to pink, and pappus yellowish brown; S. pubescens is different by its capitula 1–3, phyllaries densely brown villous, outer phyllaries green, narrowly ovate, apically reflexed, corolla dark pink, achenes densely white villous, and pappus pale brown; S. pseudograminea is different by its capitula 2–3, involucre 7–12 mm in diameter, phyllaries densely to sparsely sericeous-villous, phyllaries apex long acuminate and reflexed, pappus pale yellowish brown, corolla purple, and pappus pale yellowish brown. A comparison of S. chinduensis with related species is given in Table 15.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Saussurea chinduensis. A. Habit. B. Habit. C. Floret. D. Style branches. E. Floret (with pappus removed). F. Leaf section. G. Outer pappus bristle. H. Inner pappus bristle. I. Phyllaries (from left to right, outer to inner series).All from Kham Expedition 10-0931 (PE). Drawn by Mr. Y.X. Zhu.