Silene moorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth.

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 : 8-9

3. Silene moorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth. in Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts. 79 (1839). – Type:

India, Kashmir , Luddak [Ladakh], W. Moorcroft (Wallich cat. 626 holotype K001111436 ). Figure 1R–Y .

Silene gyirongensis L.H.Zhou, Fl. Xizang. 1: 740 (1983). – Type: Tibet, Gyirong, 3900 m, 3 vii 1975, Wu Zheng-Yih et al. 75-490 (holotype PE 00934453 ; isotypes HNWP, KUN 0514269 ).

Distribution. Widely distributed in West and Central Tibet and the West and Central Himalayas.

Habitat and ecology. Sandy and gravelly soils and screes. Altitudinal range 3000–5000 m. Flowering late May to August; fruiting July to September.

Notes. Silene moorcroftiana is easily distinguished from S. scoparia and S. oreoploca by its dark green, glandular hairy (not bright, green, non-glandular) leaves and reticulating calyx nerves. See Table 1 and Figure 1 .

Additional specimens examined. INDIA: Kashmir: Kargil, Drass , 3000 m, 2 vii 1992, J. F. Duthie s.n. ( P05019888 ) ; Ladakh, Leh , 3610 m, 7 vii 2005, Goraya 102344 ( FRLH) ; Gilgit, Nittar valley , 9000–10,000 ft, 5 viii 1892, J. F. Duthie 12418 ( IBSC 0149869 , K) .

NEPAL. Dolpa: Between Pho village and pass (29°30′N, 82°54′E), 4300 m, Caragana dwarf scrub,

vi 1999, S. Miehe 99-62-16 ( GB) ; Mahagung Khola , 4 miles east of Tingkyu, 4 viii 1973, C. Grey-Wilson

& Phillips 497 ( K, P); Tarap valley , 13,500 ft, 17 vii 1966, T. B. Shrestha 5417 ( KATH). Mustang : Upper Dhechyan Khola S of De (29°02′N, 84°00′E), 4200 m, 12 viii 2001, G. Miehe, S. Miehe & K. Koch 01-033-07 (Miehe, private herbarium) ; Lo-Manthang (29°1′N, 83°57′E), 3800 m, wet places, 23 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 20230190 ( KUN 1264313 , TI) ; N of Sangdala, valley of Thellung Khola ( W side) (29°08′N, 83°56′E), 3800 m, 1 vii 2003, Y. Iokawa et al. ( TI 20320108 ) ; between Ekle Bhatti and Khingar, S side of Jhong khola (29°49′N, 83°49′E), 3330 m, on exposed N-facing slope, 26 vi 2003, Y. Iokawa et al. ( TI 20320027 ) ; Kagbeni – Muktinath , (28°50′N, 83°47′E), 2800–3550 m, 22 vii 1983, H. Ohba et al. ( TI 8330720 , mixed with Silene scoparia ) ; Tsarang (29°06′19′′N, 83°56′E), 3400 m, on sandy steep slope, 7 viii 2001, S. Noshiro et al. ( E00826114 , TI 20106115 ) .

TIBET. Gar: 4500 m, 15 viii 1974, Tibet investigation team 3946 ( HNWP 41077 , PE 00580354 ). Zanda: 4200 m, 5 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76-075 ( PE 00580341 ) ; 4300 m, 10 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76-8179 ( HNWP 59909 , KUN, PE 00580343 ) ; 4000 m, 7 viii 1974, Tibet investigation team 3843 ( HNWP 41160 , PE 00580353 ) ; 4400 m, 3 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76-7913 ( HNWP 60274 , KUN, PE 00580345 ) ; Road to Zada (31°26′N, 80°10′E), 5033 m, 6 ix 2012, FLPH Tibet exp. 12-0240 ( PE 01960790 ). Burang : upper Karnali (30°10′N, 81°20′E), 4670 m, 30 viii 1993, G. & S. Miehe 9608/2 ( Miehe , private herbarium) ;

4200 m, 14 vii 1976, Qing-Zang exp. 76 - 8426 ( GB, HNWP 61030 ; KUN, PE 00580346 ). Zhongba: 4900 m, 31 v 2015, Wei Lai & Hao Jia-Chen 15500 ( BNU 0029751 ). Gyirong: 4150 m, 19 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 5412 ( PE 00048002 ) ; 4180 m, 9 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 6253 ( HNWP 49157 , PE 00580356 ) ;

4300 m, 28 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 5610 ( PE 00048001 ) ; 4000 m, 16 ix 1990, Li Bo-Sheng et al. 13817 ( PE 01486986 ) ; 5 km S of Lima basin, 4000 m, 17 ix 1990, Li Bo-Sheng et al. 13842 ( PE 01486980 ) ; From Bogu [Tegu] lake to Mara Mountain, 4900 m, 2 vii 1975, Wu Zheng-Yih et al. 75-0460 ( HNWP, KUN, PE 00580349 ) ; s.loc., 3900 m, 3 vii 1975, Wu Zheng-Yih et al. 75-488 ( HNWP 53555 , KUN) ; s.loc., 4200 m, 8 vii 1972, Tibet herbal medicine census 728 ( HNWP 29871 , PE 00048040 ) ; Upper Trisuli gorge NW Mt Xixabangma (28°56′N, 85°24′E), 4580 m, 25 viii 1993, G. & S. Miehe 9568/06 (Miehe, private herbarium) .

Figures

Figure 1. Silene scoparia Lidén, sp. nov.: A, whole plant leaf rosettes; B, whole plant with flowers (two damaged flowers have been ‘mended’ for clarity, with the mended parts appearing lighter); C, calyx (insert: calyx teeth); D, hairs on calyx veins; E, hairs on pedicels; F, hairs on calyx teeth vein; G, petal; H, cauline leaf; I, seed. Silene oreoploca Lidén, nom. nov.: J, whole plant with flowers; K, calyx (insert: calyx teeth); L, hairs on calyx veins; M, hairs on pedicels; N, petal; O, cauline leaf; P, seed; Q, androgynophore pubescence. Silene moorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth.: R, whole plant with flowers; S, calyx (insert: calyx teeth); T, hairs on calyx veins; U, hairs on pedicels; V, petal; W, cauline leaf; X, seed; Y, androgynophore pubescence. Scale bars: A, B, J, R, 10 cm; G, H, N, O, V, W and C, K, S (excluding inserts), 1 cm; C, K, S (inserts), 2 mm; D–F, I, L, P, Q, T, X and Y, 1 mm. Vouchers: A, Y. Iokawa et al. 20020015 (E00826586); B, M. Minaki et al. 9104467 (E00231757); C–I, G. Miehe, S. Miehe & K. Koch 01-076-08 (GB); J, Tibet herbal medicine census 1666 (PE); K–O, Chen Jia-Rui 92294 (PE); P and Q, Miehe 99-49-10 (GB); R, S. Noshiro et al. 20106115 (TI); S–Y, S. Miehe 99-62-16 (GB). Drawings: Magnus Lidén.