Polycnemum heuffelii Láng (1828: 219

Iamonico, Duilio & Somlyay, Lajos, 2014, Typification of Láng’s names in Polycnemum (Amaranthaceae s. l.), Phytotaxa 188 (2), pp. 118-120 : 118

Polycnemum heuffelii Láng (1828: 219 , as “Heuffeli”).

Lectotype (designated here):― HUNGARY. Veresegyház (“Habitat in silvis collium arenosorum, ad Veresegyház Cttus Pestiensis”), s.d., J. Heuffel s.n. ( BP 707539!) ( Fig. 1 ).

Polycnemum heuffelii was described as coming from Hungary “… in sylvis collium arenosorum ad Veresegyház Cttus Pestiensis ”.

Two specimens (W-0046105, W-0046106) labelled as “ Polycnemum Heuffeli Láng ” and indicated as “ syntypus ” by J. Walter in 2013, were traced in W (images available at http://jacq.nhm-wien.ac.at/djatoka/jacq-viewer/viewer. html?rft_id=w_0046105&identifiers=w_0046105; http://jacq.nhm-wien.ac.at/djatoka/jacq-viewer/viewer.html?rft_ id=w_0046106&identifiers=w_0046106). However, they cannot be considered syntypes because they were not explicitely cited in the protologue (Art. 9.5 of ICBN McNeill et al. 2012). These specimens come from Pest County (unspecified locality!), and the unknown collector(s) (probably J. Heuffel, who discovered the new taxon in 1826) sent specimens to his Austrian peers, namely to I. I. Schiffer and A. Putterlick respectively, who probably wrote the labels themselves. Láng probably had not seen these specimens, so we prefer to exclude them from his original material .

Two relevant specimens were also found at BP (BP-707540, BP-707539). The label information on specimen BP-707540 is restricted to the provenance (“ Vörösegyháza ”), and this label was probably written by Gy. Tauscher, who must have received this material indirectly in the late 1850s at the earliest. Although the plant was possibly collected by Láng, the particulars about this specimen are obscure, thus we exclude it from the original material. The second specimen (BP-707539), originally part of Heuffel’s collection, is obviously original material. It bears two individuals (probably representing a single gathering), and an original label written by Láng [who called Heuffel a most honoured friend (“ amicus dilectissimus ”)], providing a diagnosis, a detailed description, the provenance, and elaborate illustrations of a flower, ovary, and seed. The text of the label, which was apparently written in December 1826 (“ d. b. [descriptio bene?] Dec. 1826 ”), match the protologue ( Láng 1828). The specimen BP-707539 is by far the best candidate for typification, and is designated here as the lectotype of P. heuffelii .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Lectotype of Polycnemum heuffelii Láng (BP 707539!). B. Lectotype of Polycnemum verrucosum Láng (BP 707552!).