Centaurea heratensis Rech.

Ranjbar, Massoud & Negaresh, Kazem, 2013, A revision of Centaurea sect. Phaeopappus (Asteraceae, Cardueae), Phytotaxa 123 (1), pp. 1-40 : 19

8. Centaurea heratensis Rech. f. & Koeie in Rechinger (1955: 183). Type: AFGHANISTAN. SW Herat, 1500 m, 8 May 1945, Koeie 3817 (lectotype W!, designated by Wagenitz 1980: 364, isolectotype C: two sheets, photo BASU!). Fig. 9 .

Perennial plants, usually completely pale green, 10–40 cm tall; collum covered with abundant brown fibrous remains of petioles of previous year. Stem erect, simple, cylindrical, densely leafy, loosely floccosetomentose, 3–4 mm in diam. at the base. Leaves membranous (in dry state), with thin veins on both sides, rarely with prominent veins, loosely tomentose. Basal and lower leaves lyrate or pinnatilobate, 5–12 × 1.2–2.5 cm, terminal segments much larger, lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong or oblong, lateral segments in (1–)2–4 pairs, lanceolate or triangular or lanceolate-triangular, with a short petiole up to 1.5 cm long, acute at apex. Median cauline leaves sessile, simple, sometimes with coarse teeth or with 1–2 lobes in lower part, 7–9 × 1.8– 4 cm, oblong-lanceolate, rarely broadly oblong, broadly decurrent up to 35 mm along stem, acute or shortly acuminate at apex. Upper cauline leaves smaller, sessile, simple, 2.8–6.5(–8) × 0.5–2.3 cm, lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate or oblong, almost shorter than capitula, broadly decurrent up to 36 mm along stem, acuminate at apex. Capitules solitary, terminal, long-pedunculate, peduncles foliate to the top; involucres ovoid, rounded at base, abruptly contracted at apex and angustate (in flowering state), 25–40 × 20–30 mm. Phyllaries multiseriate, imbricate, rigid-coriaceous, green-yellowish, smooth and glabrous. Outer phyllaries ovate, 5–8 × 6–8 mm; appendages ca. 9–10 × 4.5–6 mm (cilia and spine included). Median phyllaries oblong to lanceolate, 12–21 × 12–14 mm, appendages 11.5–14 × 3.5–4 mm (cilia and spine included). Inner phyllaries lanceolate-oblong or lanceolate-linear, (27–)29–34 × 6–9 mm; appendages 3–6 × 2–3 mm (cilia and spine included). Appendages concealing part of phyllaries only, firm, pale brown to brown, triangular, gradually narrowed into spine, innermost lacerate or subrounded; cilia numerous, 3–8 on each side, 1–4 mm long; spine triangular, (3–) 5–12 mm long, much longer than the nearest cilia. Flowers white in vivo, ochreyellow or dirty white in sicco, sometimes pale lilac in base; central florets hermaphrodite, 33–35 mm long, corolla 21–23 mm long; peripheral florets sterile, finely dissected, not radiant. Achenes oblong, 10–11 mm long, deep purple, glabrous. Pappus multiseriate, simple, persistent, deep violet and 5–7 mm long.

Taxonomic and distributional remarks: — Centaurea heratensis is endemic to Afghanistan. It is known only from the mid-montane zone, at elevations of 1350–2500 m. It is shows a relationship with C. albonitens .

Chromosome numbers: —Unknown.

Selected specimens examined:— AFGHANISTAN. NW Herat: between Obeh and Khwajachisht, 1700 m, Koeie 3707 (E!) . SW Herat: Koeie 3817 ( W!) ; Qalai Mir Alam, an der Strasse nach Herat, 1550 m, 13 August 1973, Anders 9610 ( W!) . Ghorat: 1 km N Herat , throat Parjuman (Purchaman), 1880 m, 4 June 1971, Podlech 21786 ( W!) ; Rechinger 19012 (E!); 2 km E Tulak toward Qala Shahrak, 2320 m, Podlech 21971 ( W!) ; Kotal-e Pushta-Rodnay between Tulak and Nawa-i Erkh , 2480 m, Podlech 21976 ( W!) .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Centaurea heratensis Rech. f. & Koeie (Koeie 3817, W). A and B. habit. C. basal leaves. Scale A–C = 2 cm.