Salvia przewalskii Maxim.

Pendry, Colin A & Wei, Yukun K, 2021, FLORA OF NEPAL NOTULAE I: TAXONOMIC NOTES ON NEPALESE SALVIA, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (331), pp. 1-8 : 6-7

Salvia przewalskii Maxim.

Yonekura (2008) described Salvia transhimalaica Yonek. for specimens from Mustang that had previoUsly been identified as S. hians . His Latin diagnosis can be translated as:

Species similar to Salvia castanea and S. przewalskii but differing from the former by the straight not sigmoid corolla tube and triangular-hastate leaf with hastate-cordate base, and from the latter in purple-blue corolla and leaves densely tomentose above and densely strigose-tomentose below. It is distinguished from Salvia hians by the purple, not white, lower lip.

The Mustang specimens are clearly distinguished from Salvia castanea and S. hians by the characters discussed by Yonekura, but the distinction between them and S. przewalskii is not at all clear. Salvia przewalskii is widespread in China and is found from 2100 to 4000 m in Gansu, Hubei, Sichuan, Xizang and Yunnan. Salvia przewalskii also has pUrplish flowers, and its leaves are tomentose below, but it is a rather variable species and the Flora of China account includes four varieties that are distinguished by differences in their indumentum and flower coloUr ( Li & Hedge, 1994). The specimens from Mustang, and others from Manang and Dolpa, show no clear differences from material of Salvia przewalskii at either CSH or E, and there is a complete overlap in floral measUrements. Salvia transhimalaica is therefore considered within the circumscription of S. przewalskii and so is treated here as a synonym.

Salvia przewalskii Maxim., Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 27: 526 (1881).

Salvia transhimalaica Yonek., Fl. Mustang : 265, pl. 4 (2008), syn. nov.

The Nepalese collections are all from trans-Himalayan areas to the north of the main ranges of the Himalayas, growing at elevations between 2810 and 4090 m, where the climate is similar to that of the regions of the Tibetan Plateau where Salvia przewalskii is found. It should be noted that the lower elevational limit of 1100 m reported in the Flora of China is probably incorrect. DUring extensive fieldwork in the region, the second aUthor has rarely seen this species below 2500 m, and the account in Florae Republicae Popularis Sinicae gives a range of 2100 to 4050 m ( Wu & Li, 1977).

The following specimens, previoUsly identified as Salvia hians , and also as S. castanea , S. lanata Roxb. (= S. mukerjeei Bennet & Raizada ), S. nubicola Wall. ex Sweet and S. transhimalaica , are redetermined as S. przewalskii .

Specimens examined. NEPAL. Dolpa : Phoksumdo Tal, 3800 m, 5 ix 2014 , BRD A274 ( E, KATH, TI) ; Lulo Khola , 13500 ft, 18 ix 1952, O. V. Polunin et al. 3463 ( BM, E) ; Lulo Khola , 13500 ft, 18 ix 1952, O. V. Polunin et al. 3493 ( BM, E). Manang: Marsiandi, 12000 ft, 23 vii 1950, D. G. Lowndes 1224 ( BM, E) ; Manang , 12000 ft, 29 vii 1983, R. J. D. McBeath et al. 1546 ( E) ; Lower Pisang , 3000 m, 15 viii 1994, M. Mikage et al. 9485435 ( E, KATH) ; Manang , 3100 m, 24 ix 1969, T. Wraber 396 ( BM). Mustang: Samar, 3700–3880 m, 11 vii 2000, Y. Iokawa et al. 20020092 ( E) ; Kagbeni-Muktinath , 2810–3650 m, 11 ix 1999, S. Ishizawa et al. 99911017 (E); Bhona, 3860 m, 16 viii 2002, F. Miyamoto et al. 20220141 ( E) ; Alubari Kharka, 3730 m, 31 vii 2001, S. Noshiro et al. 20104047 ( E) ; Muktinath, 12000 ft, 26 vi 1966, T.B. Shrestha 5460 (BM); Thinigaon, 11500 ft, 24 v 1954, J.D. A. Stainton et al. 1370 ( BM, E) ; Tukuche, 11000 ft, 18 vii 1954, J.D. A. Stainton et al. 1878 ( BM, E) ; Dzong, 12000 ft, 27 vii 1954, J.D. A. Stainton et al. 2023 (BM, E); Ghemi, 12000 ft, 14 viii 1954, J.D. A. Stainton et al. 7229 ( BM, E) ; Muktinath, 13500 ft, 1 ix 1954, J.D. A. Stainton et al. 8055 ( BM, E) .