Saussurea pseudojiulongensis 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 : 206-207

25. Saussurea pseudojiulongensis Y. S. Chen , sp. nov. ( Fig. 25 )

Type:— CHINA. Sichuan: Muli County, 913 forest farm, Zaweigou , in forests beside streams, 2500 m, 23 August 1983, Qinghai-Xizang Expedition 13287 (holotype PE; isotypes KUN, PE) .

Herbs perennial, to 60 cm tall. Rhizomes ascending, unbranched, with many dark brown small roots. Stem solitary, erect, ca. 2 mm in diameter, glabrous, apically paniculately branched. Leaves petiolate, papery; lower leaf blade elliptic, (3.5–) 5–9.8 cm long, 1.2–3.6 cm wide, both surfaces glabrous, but adaxially with sparse short glandular hairs, adaxially green, abaxially sometimes reddish purple, margin undulate dentate to nearly entire, tipped with short spines, apex acuminate, base slightly cordate, truncate or rounded; petioles 2–6.5 cm long. Upper stem leaves narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, gradually smaller apically on stem, base attenuate, petioles much shorter to nearly sessile. Capitula numerous, paniculate, in sparse corymbs at the end of branchlets or stems. Involucre campanulate, 4–5 mm in diameter, ca. 1 cm high. Phyllaries in ca. 5 rows, imbricate, margin entire and purple; outer phyllaries triangular-ovate, ca. 2 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, leathery, arachnoid pubescent, apex acute; middle series of phyllaries longer, linear-oblong, sparsely pubescent, but more dense along margin, apex obtuse; inner phyllaries linear-lanceolate, sparsely pubescent, apex obtuse, 8–8.5 mm long, ca. 1.2 mm wide. Receptacle flat, naked. Corolla light purple, ca. 9.5 mm long, tubular-funnelform, glabrous, tube ca. 2.5–3 mm long, limb ca. 5–6 mm long, lobes ca. 3 mm long. Anthers ca. 5 mm long, apical appendage acute, basal appendages obtuse, auricles with lacerate tails ca. 1.8 mm long. Immature achenes cylindroid, glabrous, ca. 1 mm long. Pappus yellowish white; outer bristles scabrid, 2–3 mm long; inner bristles plumose, ca. 8 mm long.

Distribution and habitat:— Saussurea pseudojiulongensis is currently known only from Muli County, southwestern Sichuan. It grows in mountain forests or forests beside streams at altitudes of 2500–4300 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October.

Etymology:—The specific epithet reflects the similarity of the new species to S. jiulongensis . Chinese name: LJ AżṈLẄ.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— CHINA. Sichuan: Muli County, Tangyang Xiang, Buchang, in Pinus densata forests, 4300 m, 12 September 1983, Qinghai-Xizang Expedition 13946 (KUN, PE).

Discussion:— Saussurea pseudojiulongensis belongs to S. subgen. Saussurea sect. Saussurea because of its well-developed stem, roots not fibrously split, leaves evenly arranged along the stem, capitula numerous and in sparse corymbs, and anther tails lacerate. In our molecular tree, S. pseudojiulongensis is shown to be closely related to S. jiulongensis . It is similar to S. jiulongensis in its habit, leaf shape, capitula size and arrangement, but differs by its petioles and stems not winged (vs. winged).

Figures

FIGURE 25. Saussurea pseudojiulongensis. A. Habit (lower part). B. Habit (upper part). C. Style branches. D. Inner pappus bristle. E. Floret (with pappus removed). F. Outer pappus bristle. G.Anthers. H. Floret. I. Phyllaries (from left to right, outer to inner series). J. Cross section of leaf. All from Qinghai-Tibetan Expedition 13287 (PE).Drawn by Mr. Y.X. Zhu.