Silene blepharicalyx Lidén, 2023

Lidén, Magnus & Oxelman, Bengt, 2023, FLORA OF NEPAL NOTULAE IV: NEW SPECIES AND RESURRECTED NAMES IN SILENE, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 80 (367), pp. 1-28 : 18-20

7. Silene blepharicalyx Lidén , sp. nov.

Silene blepharicalyx differs from S. nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén in having fewer leaves,

a calyx with reticulate veins, no glandular hairs and long-ciliate teeth; from S. caespitella F.N.Williams by its shorter and broader leaves, a broader more open calyx with reticulate veins and long-ciliate teeth, and seeds with longer tubercles or papillae on the back. – Type : Nepal, Tegar N of Mustang, open grassy slopes, 4420 m, 5 viii 1954, A. Stainton, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 2197 (holotype E00219973 , isotype TI). Figure 5H–N .

“ Silene caespitella ” sensu Rajbhandari & Suzuki (2008) , non F.N.Williams.

“ Silene nepalensis ” sensu Boquet pro parte (1969), non Majumdar.

Perennial herb, densely pubescent throughout with down-curved non-glandular hairs; glandular hairs absent. Rootstock simple or often branched, often forming a small crown, without runners; sterile leaf rosettes usually absent in flowering individuals. Stems few to several, ascending to suberect, simple or often branched below, (7–) 10–40 cm long with (3–)4–6 pairs of leaves, upper internodes longer than lower. Leaves not vaginate,

green to greyish green, usually paler abaxially, ± densely pubescent with short curved hairs; lower leaves with indistinct petioles 5–25 mm long, lamina oblanceolate, cuneate at base, acute; middle leaves subsessile, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 20–60

× (4–)7–15(–18) mm; upper leaves sessile, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, acuminate,

20–40 × 4–11 mm; bracts and bracteoles small, long-ciliate at base. Inflorescence few-

to many-flowered, irregular; partial cymes 1–3(–5)-flowered; dichasial internodes very short. Pedicels 3–10(–20) mm long. Flowers ± nodding. Calyx campanulate, 8–10 mm

long, pale green; veins broad, dark green to dark purplish, not prominently raised, broadly anastomosing below teeth apices, usually with some transverse anastomoses and/or short supernumerary basal veins; pubescent throughout with mostly recurved hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long; divided 1/4 to almost 1/3; teeth triangular, subacute, apex usually ± recurved and ± folded, densely ciliate with soft hairs 0.2–0.5 mm long. Androgynophore 1 mm long, densely hairy above, less so below. Petal claw pale, usually conspicuously exserted, 2.5–3 mm broad at apex, broadly auriculate, obscurely dentate, sometimes very sparsely ciliate. Petal limb 1.5–2 mm long and broad, bifid, often with a small lateral basal tooth on each side, white or purplish; coronal scales 0.5 mm long. Styles 5. Capsule ovate, conspicuously protruding from calyx. Seeds 0.8 mm long, brown with small dorsal papillae.

Distribution. Widespread and fairly common in dry areas from Himachal Pradesh eastwards to Annapurna in Nepal; South Tibet east to Lhozhag (the Lozhag find is geographically isolated in the East, and needs confirmation).

Habitat and ecology. Open grassy slopes, meadow, alpine dwarf scrub, north-facing open Pinus wallichiana A.B.Jacks stand, wet place sheltered by rocks, cultivated fields. Altitudinal range 2800–4900 m. Flowering July to September; fruiting August to October.

Etymology. Greek βλέφαρον (‘eyelid’), alluding to the long-ciliate calyx teeth.

Notes. High-altitude plants are generally shorter and more greyish with denser indumentum. The colour of calyx veins varies from green to dark purple.

DNA data ( Petri & Oxelman, 2011) from chloroplast and nuclear loci suggest that Silene blepharicalyx is an allotetraploid with the diploid S. caespitella as closely related to the pollen parent. This conclusion is based on the sequences of collections by G. Miehe, S. Miehe

& K. Koch (01-049-16, 01-061-16, 01-067-03, 01-124-08, 01-127-22), determined as Silene nepalensis by Petri & Oxelman (2011), and of G. Miehe, S. Miehe & K. Koch 01-061-16 (as S. indica ). Morphologically, Silene blepharicalyx is intermediate between S. caespitella and S. procera (the latter was not included in the Petri & Oxelman study).

Additional specimens examined. INDIA. Himachal Pradesh: Spiti, Thumla , 4100 m, 31 vii 1972, U. C. Bhattacharyya 49170 ( BSD) ; Rakcham Kanda , grassy slopes, 14,000 ft, 13 viii 1973, N. P. Janardhanan 52701 ( BSD) . Uttarakhand: Uttarkashi, Kedarganga , open slopes among boulders, 3600 m, 30 viii

1983, U. C. Bhattacharyya 74643 ( BSD) ; Gangotri national park , 21 vii 2003, P. Pusalkar 102160, 102394, 103320, 103901, 105298 ( BSD) ; Nanda Devi national park , Ramni to Bhujgara, open hill slopes, 26 viii 1981, P. K. Hajra 73324 ( BSD) ; Garwal , Kaga-Ana, erect herb on rocky slopes, 3000 m, 17 viii 1974, Naithani 54099 ( DD) ; Tehri-Garwal , Gaumukh to Rispabasta, glacial soil, 4200 m, 24 ix 1967, Kedarnath Parbat exp. 37434 ( BSD) ; Chamolo district , N of Bampa, moraine slopes, 3800 m, 6 ix 1975, Naithani 56089 ( BSD) ; Kumaon , Furkia Pindari, moraine, 3500–5000 m, 23–24 ix 1957, T. A. Rao 4450 ( BSD) ; Sankuti to Grabbe, slopes, 12 viii 1998, Panchchuli multidimensional expedition, R. P. Uniyal & Bipin Balodi 94186 ( BSD) ; Dudhpani , 4000 m, 27 vi 1886, J. R. Reid s.n. ( E) ; Tihri-Garwal , Jaulea [= Jhala?] under Srikanta, 11,000–12000 ft, [early viii] 1883, J. F. Duthie 627a ( DD) ; Kumaon , Lebung glacier, 15,000 ft, 6 ix 1884, J. F. Duthie 2744, 2745 ( DD) ; Kumaon , Ralam valley, 16 viii 1900, Inayat 24263 ( DD) .

NEPAL. Seti Zone: Paya , 4300 m, 28 viii 1936, F. M. Bailey s.n. ( E00219950 ) . Mugu: Between Mugu and Purana Mugu, Mugu Khola , open coniferous forest, 3800 m, 20 viii 1952, O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 5333 ( TI) . Dolpa: Naru, Chhepka , 2980 m, 8 viii 1996, K. K. Shrestha & S. K. Ghimire SP160 ( KATH) ; Chhepka , 3800 m, 8 viii 1996, K. K. Shrestha & S. K. Ghimire SP228 ( KATH) ; Chhepka , 2980 m ,

9 viii 1996, K. K. Shrestha & S. K. Ghimire SP278 ( KATH) ; Kagmera, 4300 m, 9 viii 1996, K. K. Shrestha

& S. K. Ghimire SP363 ( KATH) ; Bamere , 2750 m, 8 viii 1981, Dep. med. pl. (Kathmandu) 6924 ( KATH). Mustang / Manang: 13 collections from 28°48′N, 83°43′E to 29°07′N, 84°03′E, 3470–4510 m, 7 viii to 10 ix 2001, G. Miehe, S. Miehe & K. Koch 01-014-20, 01-049-16, 01-061-16, 01-072-22, 01-116-13, 01-127-22, 01-128-19, 01-067-03, 01-120-05, 01-124-08, 01-125-03, 01-134-08, 01-013-09 (all GB) ; Namdo, N

of Mustang, 4900 m, 9 viii 1954, A. Stainton, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 2298 ( BM, E00066537 ) ; W Makhchung, 3.5 km S from Tibetan border (29°15′N, 83°59′E), 4490 m, 3 vii 2003, Y. Iokawa et al .

( TI 20320159); Jomson to Kagbeni, 2750–2800 m, 21 vii 1983, H. Ohba et al. 831057 ( KATH012896 , TI) ; Phedi to Thanti, 4100–4400 m, 26 vii 1983, H. Ohba et al. 8330864 ( KATH, TI 8330864 ) ; Thanti (29°01′43′′N, 84°04′04′′E), 4520 m, 12 viii 2001, Y. Iokawa & M. N. Subedi 20105080 ( E00826227 ,

TI 20105080 ); Ghami – Zhaite (29°03′42′′N, 83°52′39′′E), in meadow on a hill top, 4350 m, 16 viii 2001, S. Noshiro et al. 20106197 ( E00826214 , TI 20106197 ) ; Samar (28°55′53′′N, 83°49′41′′E), in cultivated fields, 3450 m, 16 viii 2001, S. Noshiro et al. 20106081 ( E00826213 , TI 20106081 ) ; Lo Monthang – Chmmithong ( Chumithou ) (29°10′59′′N, 83°57′12′′E), 3834–4866 m, 1 viii 2002, T. Watanabe et al. LOM-SP020801(054) ( TI) ; Annapurna W side, Marche , 10,000 ft, 15 iv 2021 ( B. S. date = 30 vii 1964), T. B. Shrestha & M. S. Bista 1455 ( KATH) ; Dhaulagiri: Batase damda, 11,000 ft, 15 iv 2021 ( B. S. date =

30 vii 1964), T. B. Shrestha & M. S. Bista 1428 ( KATH) ; Ghemi to Samar (29°04′N, 83°52′E), wet places sheltered by rocks, 3800 m, 25 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. ( TI 20230205 ) .

TIBET. Zanda: 4100 m, 28 vi 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76-7885 ( PE). Burang: 5100 m, 24 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76-8286 ( HNWP 58790 , PE 00559849 ) ; ibid., 4850 m, 19 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76 - 8533 ( HNWP 59265 , KUN 0513896 , PE) ; ibid., 4850 m, 19 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 13050

( PE 00047846); Kejia, 3700 m, 29 viii 1990, Fei Yong et al. 630 ( KUN 0531688 ) ; Kangrinboqe Feng,

4700 m, 25 viii 1990, Fei Yong et al. 495 ( KUN 0531689). Zhongba: 5000 m, 8 viii 1975, s.col. 44-7126 ( PE 00046988). Gyirong: 4500 m, 4 viii 1975, s.col. 5755 ( PE 00046956).

The following (all in TI but not seen as not available on website) were also cited as Silene caespitella by Rajbhandari & Suzuki (2008): Mustang / Manang : Ghar Gompa (29°7′N, 83°53′E), in shrubbery near stream on scree slope, 4000–4200 m, 19 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 20220192 ; Around Sangda pass (28°53′N, 83°43′E), in open grassy place on scree slope, 4400–4650 m, 19 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 20220083 ; ibid., stony slopes, 4460 m, 10 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 2023001 ; Pongio Kharka – Phalyak (28°51′40.3′ N, 83°44′41.3′ E), on banks, 3870 m, 13 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 20210091 ; NE Lo to Manthang (29°16′N, 84°01′E), soil slopes, 3800 m, 20 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 20230137 ; Alubari Kharka (28°45′23′′N, 83°40′12′′E), on heavily grazed slope in meadow, 3600 m, 31 vii 2001, S. Noshiro et al. 20106036 .

Figures

Figure 5. Silene nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén, comb. nov.: A, calyx; B, petal; C, seed; D, whole plant; E, upper part of pedicel; F, calyx vein pubescence; G, calyx teeth cilia. Silene blepharicalyx Lidén, sp. nov.: H, calyx; I, petal; J, seed; K, whole plant; L, upper part of pedicel; M, calyx vein pubescence; N, calyx teeth cilia. Silene procera Lidén, sp. nov.: O, calyx; P, petal; Q, seed; R, S, whole plant; T, upper part of pedicel; U, calyx vein pubescence; V, calyx teeth cilia. Scale bars: A, B, H, I, O, P, 1 cm; C, E–G, J, L–N, Q, T–V, 1 mm; D, K, R, S, 10 cm. Vouchers: A, C–G, Tibet herbal medicine census 1832 (PE); B, Banerji & P.R. Shakya 5706 (KATH); H, L–N, K.K. Shrestha & S.K. Ghimire SP363 (KATH); I, J, S. Noshiro et al. 20106081 (E); K, A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 2197 (E); O, P, R–V, H. Ikeda et al. (Manaslu 2008 expedition) 20815090 (E); Q, H. Ikeda et al. 20811114 (E). Drawings: Magnus Lidén.