Taraxacum pirinicum 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 : 93-96

8. Taraxacum pirinicum Štěpánek & Kirschner , sp. nov.

Type:— Bulgaria, montes Pirin , opp. Bansko , locis glareosis in loco Malak Kazan ad pedem bor.-orient. montis Vichren (2914 m), solo calcareo, ca. 2100 m, 13 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4539, collected in 1991 ( PRA, no. det. 35756, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 25516, and duplicates) .

Etymology:—Relating to the Pirin Mts.

Exsiccates:— Taraxaca Exs., no. 1273–1274.

Diagnosis:—Species Taraxaco leopardino propinqua sed differt foliis immaculatis, acheniis subobscure brunneis vel brunneo-castaneis et phyllariis exterioribus angustissime (0.05–0.1 mm) albomarginatis.

Plants ± medium-sized, relatively slender, usually 10–15 cm tall. Plant base without tunic, with sparse brownish hairs among petiole bases. Petiole pale greenish to pale, medium broadly winged in outer leaves, narrow in the inner leaves, 2.5–3.5 cm long. Leaves variously erect-patent, ± vivid mid-green, not spotted, glabrous to subglabrous, narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly oblong, usually 6–9 × 1.5–2.5 cm, pinnatisect; terminal segment variously triangular to trilobed, 1–2 × 1.2–1.8 cm, apex acute, often lingulate-mucronate, distal margin convex to sigmoid, entire or basally with several little teeth, basal lobules acute to acuminate, subrecurved, less often patent to upcurved, proximal margin ± straight to subsigmoid, entire, basally with ± raised margin; lateral segments in 3–4 (5) pairs, deltoid-triangular or narrowly so, or of a narrow bird-wing shape, usually 7–12 mm long, 4–8 mm wide at base, distally narrowed, lingulateelongated, distal margin sigmoid to concave, entire or with several teeth or lobules at base, proximal margin ± straight to subconcave or subconvex, entire; interlobes usually 4–15 × 2–4.5 mm, green, not bordered, margin sometimes ± raised, entire or with a few minute teeth, or with a lobule near the proximal segment‘s base; mid-vein pale, sometimes slightly suffused brownish(-purplish). Scapes very sparsely arachnoid to subglabrous, pale greenish, overtopping leaves. Capitulum ca. 3.5 cm wide, golden yellow, ± flat. Involucre slightly pruinose, 7–8 mm wide and ± narrowly rounded at base. Outer phyllaries 10–15, loosely appressed (distal part suberect and apex incurved), reaching 2/5–1/2 of the inner phyllaries, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, the uppermost ones to lanceolate, usually 5–6 × 2.5–3.5 mm, surface ± evenly dark olivaceous-green (black-green when dry), with an abrupt transition in a narrow white border 0.05–0.1 mm wide, margin sparsely minutely ciliate, apex flat; inner phyllaries ca. 13 mm long, of unequal width. Outer ligules flat, striped grey-olivaceous outside, often wholly suffused purplish, apical teeth black to black-purple, inner ligules canaliculate, their apical teeth dark yellow. Stigmas light discoloured, greenish yellow, pubescence hairs with a black tip. Pollen present, pollen grains irregular in size. Achenes medium dark pure brown, less often to castaneous-brown, 4.4–6.0 × 0.9–1.2 mm, relatively densely (in approximated rows) shortly spinulose and squamulose in upper 1/6–1/8, subgradually narrowing into a short, subcylindrical to subconical cone 0.5–0.9 mm long, ca. 0.4 mm thick below the middle part; beak (4.5–) 6–7 mm long, pappus ± white or whitish, 5–6.5 mm long. – Agamosperm. – Fig. 50C , 53, 54.

Note: Because of the achene colour variation observed among populations, we consider it as possible that T. pirinicum consists of several clones.

Diagnostic notes: Taraxacum pirinicum is similar to T. leopardinum but can be easily distinguished from it by the pure brown achenes, leaves without spots, and a narrower border to the outer phyllaries.

Distribution and habitat: Taraxacum pirinicum is confined to the Pirin Mts. It grows in wet stony grasslands, stabilised scree, rocky slopes in the alpine belt, in upper parts of valleys, glacial cirques, and in carstic depressions. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as NT.

Specimens examined:— BULGARIA. Bansko, valley of Banderica , valley of Vichrenska voda [brook], above the Vichren Chalet , ca. 2300 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4537 ( PRA, no. det. 25521). – 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, cultivated as JŠ 4303 ( PRA, no. det. 25519). – Bansko, valley of Banderica , in the pass of Vichrenski preslap, between Mt. Chvojnati vrch (2635 m) and Mt. Vichren (2914 m), above the Vichren Chalet , 2550–2600 m, ca. 41° 45–46’ N, 23° 24’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, J. Kirschner & B. Trávníček, cultivated as JŠ 6531 ( PRA, no. det. 25518). – Bansko, valley of Banderica , between the pass of Vichrenski preslap and the S. foot of Mt. Vichren , above the Vichren Chalet , 2550–2600 m, ca. 41° 45–46’ N, 23° 24’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, J. Kirschner & B. Trávníček, cultivated as JŠ 6299/D ( PRA, no. det. 26133) ; Ibidem, JŠ 9308 ( PRA, no. det. 27693) ; Ibidem, JŠ 9309 ( PRA, no. det. 27692). – Bansko, carstic depression near Malak Kazan , limestone, ca. 2100 m, 13 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4530 ( PRA, no. det. 25517). – Bansko, Banderica valley , W. slope below the ridge of the Vlachinski preval [pass], ca. 2500 m, ca. 41° 45’ N, ca. 23° 24’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 6515 ( PRA, no. det. 25515). – Pirin , Bansko , glacial cirque of Goljam Kazan on N. slopes of Mt. Vichren , 2400–2600 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4862 ( PRA, no. det. 25514) ; Ibidem, JŠ 4526 ( PRA, no. det. 25512) ; Ibidem, JŠ 4294 ( PRA, no. det. 25509) ; Ibidem, JŠ 4526 ( PRA, no. det. 25507). – Bansko , valley of Banderica , upper part of the valley of Vichrenska voda, below the Vichrenski Preslap ridge, ca. 2450 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4885 ( PRA, no. det. 25513). – Bansko , lower part glacial cirque of Goljam Kazan on N. slopes of Mt. Vichren , ca. 2400 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4525 ( PRA, no. det. 25511). – Bansko , E. slope below Vichrenski preslap [ridge], between Mt. Vichren and Mt. Chvojnati vrech, ca. 2500 m, 12 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4532 ( PRA, no. det. 25510 & 26134). – Bansko , Premkata Pass between Mt. Vichren and Mt. Kutelo I, limestone, 2700-2750 m, 13 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek cultivated as JŠ 4536 ( PRA, no. det. 25508). – Banderica, Mt. Vichren , 9 Aug 1997, cultivated as JK 4683 ( PRA, no. det. 35806). – Pirin, near Bajovi dupki, ca. 2050 m, 9 Aug 1939, B. Achtaroff ( SOM, no. det. 35829). – Less certain identification: Bansko , gravelly sites along Banderica Brook , near the Banderica Chalet, ca. 1800 m, 11 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4555 ( PRA, no. det. 25520) .

Note:—In the material collected by R. Doll in the vicinity of alpine chalets of Maljovica and Musala, the Rila, in 1976, there is a form similar to T. pirinicum . The material appeared in Doll (1978) under several names: T. panalpinum , T. aequilobiforme and T. metriocallosum but does not belong to either of these taxa. The material is of a rather inferior quality (although better than most of his other gatherings), and we are able to point out a few features possibly distinguishing it from T. pirinicum: Leaves ± prostrate, glabrous, pinnatisect with narrow, patent lateral segments, interlobes often with a narrow lobule and/or several filiform teeth, petiole broadly winged, outer phyllaries loosely appressed, lanceolate, 5–6 × (1–) 2–2.5 mm, probably some erect-patent, with an indistinct border 0.1–0.2 mm wide, achenes lighter pure brown, 4.1–5.0 × 1.0– 1.1 mm, body with short squamules and spinules above, with a subabrupt transition into a subcylindrical to subconical cone 0.6–1.0 mm long, beak 7–8 mm long, pappus 5.5–6.5 mm long, ± white (agamosperm). This material requires further study, and new specimens of a standard quality.

BULGARIA. Rila, the Musala Chalet, ca. 2000–2400 m, 12 Jul 1976, R. Doll, as Taraxacum metriocallosum (JE, no. det. 19255). – Ibidem, as Taraxacum aequilobiforme (JE, no. det. 19054). – Rila, the Maljovica Chalet, along a brook, 16 Jul 1976, R. Doll as Taraxacum panalpinum (JE, no. det. 19060).

Figures

FIGURE 50. Achenes of T. leopardinum (A, PRA, no. det. 25473), T. abnorme (B, PRA, no. det. 26145), T. pirinicum (C, PRA, no. det. 25596) and T. chionogeiton (D, PRA, no. det. 35957, isotype). Scale bars = 1 mm.