Taraxacum saevum Štěpánek & Kirschner, 2022

Štěpánek, Jan & Kirschner, Jan, 2022, A hotspot of endemism: Oreophytic Taraxacum species (Compositae, Crepidinae) in the mountains of Bulgaria, Phytotaxa 569 (1), pp. 1-139 : 73-75

. Taraxacum saevum Štěpánek & Kirschner , sp. nov.

Type:— Bulgaria, montes Pirin , opp. Bansko , vallis flum. Banderica , locis graminosis herbosisque subalpinis secundum viam turisticam rubre signatam in declivitate ± orientali in vallis rivi Vichrenska voda supra casam alpinam Vichren (1950 m), inter montes Chvojnati vrch (2635 m) et Vichren (2914 m), ca. 2200–2400 m, 41° 45–46’ N, 23° 24–25’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 9340, collected in 2012 ( PRA, no. det. 35742, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 27278, and duplicates) .

Etymology:—Furious, frenzied, harsh (from Latin saevus).

Exsiccates:— Taraxaca Exs., no. 1278–1282.

Diagnosis:—Plantae foliis prostratis glabratis, lobis lateralibus numerosis anguste triangularibus saepissime hamato-recurvis, involucris pruinosis phyllariis exterioribus basi laxe adpressis parte distali arcuata, obscure olivaceo-viridibus, in sicco atro-viridibus, in marginem distinctam scariosam abrupte abeuntibus, et praecipue acheniis pallide vel perpallide fulvo-brunnescentibus notabiles.

Plants relatively small, compact, usually 5–9 cm tall. Plant base sometimes with an imperfectly developed tunic, almost glabrous among petiole bases. Petiole broadly winged in outer leaves, narrowly winged or unwinged in the inner ones, pale green, 1.5–3 cm long. Leaves numerous in a rosette, light green, ± glabrous, prostrate, oblanceolate to narrowly so, or narrowly elliptical or spatulate in outline, usually 4–10 × 1.5–2.5 cm, pinnatipartite to pinnatisect; terminal segment usually small, broadly triangular to flat helmet-shaped, usually 5–15 × 8–22 mm, acute to obtusely acute, sometimes with a short lingulate mucro, distal margin convex to ± straight, entire, basal lobules patent to subrecurved, acute, proximal margin concave to subsigmoid or ± straight, entire; lateral segments in (4) 5–6 pairs, narrowly deltoidtriangular to triangular, often hamate-recurved, usually 5–12 mm long, 3–8 mm wide at base, acute to acuminate, distal margin convex to subsigmoid, entire or with a few unequal teeth, proximal margin concave to ± straight, entire but often with a single bigger tooth near the base; interlobes short, 1–6 × 3–11 mm, light green, not bordered, margin raised, sparsely coarsely dentate; mid-vein pale greenish, slightly pinkish in older leaves. Scapes pale greenish, very sparsely arachnoid to ± glabrous, subequalling the leaf length. Capitulum deep yellow, getting bluish-purplish during drying or withering, ca. 2.5–3.5 cm wide, ± flat. Involucre ± pruinose, broadly obconical and ca. 8 mm wide mm wide at base. Outer phyllaries 16–20, loosely appressed at base, distally arcuate, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, usually 4–5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, reaching ca. 1/3–1/5 of the inner, ± evenly dark olivaceous-green (black-green when dry), with an abrupt transition in a distinct whitish-membranous border 0.1–0.3 mm wide, margin minutely ciliate (hairs shorter than 0.1 mm), apex flat, sometimes suffused purplish; inner phyllaries 9–10 mm long, of ± equal width. Outer ligules flat, long, striped purplish grey-olivaceous outside, apical teeth black-purple, inner ligules ± canaliculate, their teeth dirty yellow or reddish or grey. Stigmas long, light discoloured, light yellow-green, with most hairs hyaline, a part dark distally. Pollen abundant, pollen grains irregular in size. Achenes light or very light beige-brown (light brownish with an orange hue or also with a greyish hue), 3.6–4.1 × 0.9–1.1 mm, body with subdense erect spinules and low squamules in the upper 1/6–1/8, ± abruptly narrowing into a conical to subconical cone 0.5–0.7 mm long; beak (3.5–) 4.5–6 mm long, pappus 5–5.5 mm long, white. – Agamosperm. – Fig. 37C, 39, 40, 41.

Distribution and habitat:—Probably endemic to the highest Bulgarian mountain ranges, the Rila and the Pirin, at 2200–2600 m. It grows in wet, floristically rich alpine grasslands, along shores of alpine lakes, also on ± disturbed, subsynathropic sites along tourist tracks and around alpine chalets. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as NT.

Diagnostic notes:— Taraxacum saevum is characterized by numerous lateral leaf segments, often with dentate margins and by dentate interlobes, short, dark, conspicuously narrowly bordered outer phyllaries, and by achenes very light beige, with a short zone of spinulosity, and a short, ± conical cone. It is similar to T. musalae but the latter has conspicuously spotted leaves, achenes thicker and much darker, usually dark grey to deep brown-grey, and outer phyllaries with a contrasting, much broader border, 0.2–0.5 mm wide.

Specimens examined:— BULGARIA. Samokov, the Rila , Borovec , between alpine chalets of Jastrebec and Musala , 2200–2350 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek & B. Kuzmanov 8 ( PRA, no. det. 27273) ; Ibidem, cultivated as JŠ 4506 ( PRA, no. det. 27272). – Borovec, Musalenski Ezera [lakes], around lake IV, between the Musala Chalet and Mt. Aleko , ca. 2450 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek 11 ( PRA, no. det. 27641) ; Ibidem, cultivated as JŠ 4509 ( PRA, no. det. 27639). – Borovec , near the Jastrebec Chalet , ca. 2250 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek & B. Kuzmanov, cultivated as JŠ 4821 ( PRA, no. det. 27640). – Rila Mts., Maljovica , 9 Aug 1997, J. Kirschner, cultivated as JK 4657 ( PRA, no. det. 35957). – The Pirin Mts., Bansko , Banderica Valley , bottom of glacial cirque, E. slope below the Vichrenski preslap [pass], above the Vichren Chalet , ca. 2450–2550 m, 41° 45–46’ N, 23° 24–25’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, J. Kirschner & B. Trávníček, cultivated as JŠ 9320 ( PRA, no. det. 27275) ; Ibidem, JŠ 9318 ( PRA, no. det. 27638) ; Ibidem, JŠ 6304 ( PRA, no. det. 27636). – Bansko , Mt. Vichren , near the shore of the upper lake of the Vlachinski ezera, at the eastern foot of the Gredaro Ridge , ca. 1.5 km W. of Mt. Chvojnati vrch (2635 m), 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 9326 ( PRA, no. det. 27280) ; Ibidem, JŠ 9324 ( PRA, no. det. 27279) ; Ibidem, JŠ 9327 ( PRA, no. det. 27277) ; Ibidem, JŠ 9328 ( PRA, no. det. 27276). – Bansko, Banderica Valley , a valley between Mt. Graniten (2669 m) and Chvojnati vrch (2635 m), above Chvojnato ezero [lake], 2250–2350 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek ( PRA, no. det. 27274). – Bansko , valley of Banderica , valley of Vichrenska voda [brook], above the Vichren Chalet , ca. 2400 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4297 ( PRA, no. det. 27271) ; Ibidem, JŠ 4868 ( PRA, no. det. 27634). – Bansko , Banderica , a valley between Mt. Graniten (2669 m) and Chvojnati vrch (2635 m), above Chvojnato ezero [lake], 2250–2350 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4299 ( PRA, no. det. 27270) ; Ibidem, JŠ 4873 ( PRA, no. det. 27635). – Bansko , Banderica valley , upper part of the valley of Vichrenska voda brook, below the Vichrenski Preslap ridge, ca. 2450 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek ( PRA, no. det. 27267) ; Ibidem, cultivated as JŠ 4540 ( PRA, no. det. 27269). – Bansko , glacial cirque of Vasilaški Cirkus , upper lake of Todorino ezero, ca. 2500 m, 14 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek ( PRA, no. det. 27268). – Bansko , valley of Banderica , Banderiški ezera, near lake Dalgoto ezero, 2300–2350 m, 14 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek ( PRA, no. det. 27642). – Vichren, near the shore of the middle lake of Vlachinski ezera, SW. foot of Chvojnati vrch (2635 m), 2350–2450 m, ca. 41° 45’ N, 23° 23–24’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 9317 ( PRA, no. det. 27637). – Bulgaria, Pirin , Demjanica Chalet , stream banks, 2200 m., 8 Aug 1997, J. Kirschner, cultivated as JK 4326 ( PRA, no. det. 35816). – Vichren area, slopes above Muratovo ezero, stream banks and path verges below Muratovo ezero, 41° 45’ N, 23° 23–24’ E, [8 Aug 1997], B. Trávníček, cultivated as JK 4338 ( PRA, no. det. 35814). – Banderica [valley], slopes of Mt. Vichren, 9 Aug 1997, J. Kirschner, cultivated as JK 4674 ( PRA, no. det. 35812) ; Ibidem, JK 4676 ( PRA, no. det. 35958) ; Ibidem, JK 4665 ( PRA, no. det. 35955) ; Ibidem, JK 4675 ( PRA, no. det. 35953). – Pirin, Demjanica [chalet], 9 Aug 1997, J. Kirschner, cultivated as JK 4644 ( PRA, no. det. 35810). – Vichren, near the N. and E. shores of the upper lake of Vlachinski ezera, SW. foot of Chvojnati vrch (2635 m), 2300–2350 m, ca. 41° 45’ N, 23° 23-24’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 6561 ( PRA, no. det. 36015) .