Centaurea phlomoides Boissier & Haussknecht

Negaresh, Kazem & Rahiminejad, Mohammad Reza, 2018, A revision of Centaurea sect. Cynaroides (Asteraceae, Cardueae-Centaureinae), Phytotaxa 363 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

25. Centaurea phlomoides Boissier & Haussknecht in Boissier (1875: 673). Type:— IRAN. Prov. Kermanshah: Ouraman mountains above Nowsud , Mesopotamia , 1800 m, March-May 1867, Haussknecht s.n. (holotype G-BOIS!: two sheets comprising one specimen, isotypes G!: two sheets, JE!: two sheets, W!). ( Fig. 54 )

Biennial plants, whole plant usually green, 60–100 cm tall; collar of fibrous petiolar remains present at stem base. Stem erect, almost simple, whitish, up to 8 mm in diam. at base, very densely leafy throughout, lower to median parts subglabrous, others densely covered with long grayish-arachnoid hairs. Leaves rigid, with thin white striations, ± densely covered with arachnoid hairs. Basal and lower cauline leaves with a long petiole, simple or lobed toward base, broadly lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, lamina 25–36(–38) × 6.5–15 cm, truncate at base, obtuse or subacute at apex. Median cauline leaves sessile, simple, lanceolate-oblong or oblong, 15–18 × 6–9 cm, broadly decurrent, up to 100 mm along stem, or winged, short acuminate at apex. Upper cauline leaves smaller, sessile, simple, lanceolate-oblong or narrowly oblong, 2–8 × 0.5–3 cm, loosely covered with arachnoid hairs, broadly decurrent, acuminate or mucronate at apex. Capitula numerous, 10 to 15, arranged in a densely congest corymbs. Involucres ovoid, 20–25 × 20–25 mm. Phyllaries multiseriate, coriaceous, imbricate, yellowish, densely covered with tomentose-arachnoid hairs. Appendages small, firm, concealing part of phyllaries only, triangular, yellow, 1.5–2.5 mm wide at base (excluding digitate spinules), reflexed; digitate spinules numerous, 5–6 on each side, 2–3.5 mm long; spine narrowly triangular, 3–6 mm long, equal or slightly longer than nearest digitate spinules. Flowers yellow; central florets hermaphroditic, 30–32 mm long, corolla 12–13 mm long, 5-lobed, lobes ca. 5.5–6 mm long, with brownish nerves, stigma exserted part from corolla, up to 3 mm; peripheral florets sterile, finely dissected, rarely radiant, limb lobe filiform. Achenes oblong, 8.5–9 mm long, 4–4.5 mm wide, pale brown or straw-coloured, glabrous; insertion areole large, lateral, yellow, ca. 2.2 mm long. Pappus double, persistent, multiseriate, scabrous, whitish, pappus ca. 2.5 mm long, bristles of inner rows shorter than others.

Nomenclatural notes: —When describing Centaurea phlomoides, Boissier & Haussknecht ( Boissier 1875) cited one collection: Haussknecht s.n. In G-BOIS herbarium there are two sheets of this collection for C. phlomoides that belong to one specimen. Wagenitz (1980: 367) designated them as a lectotype, whereas these sheets must be automatically considered as a holotype. Furthermore, in G herbarium there are also two sheets belonging to a different collection, “Montes Avroman et Schahu, Jul. 1867, Haussknecht 583 ”, which represent one specimen. These sheets were annotated as an isotype of C. phlomoides by Wagenitz on the label. To clarify the situation, we studied the specimens deposited in G-BOIS and G. Regarding collection localities: 1. the specimen in G-BOIS (G00330560) is labelled: “Haussknecht It. Orient. Mesopotamia ” [printed] and “In rup. Calc. supra Nasud in mont. Avroman. 6000’” [handwritten]; 2. the specimen in G (G00382606) is labelled: “Haussknecht It. Orient. Montes Avroman et Shahu” [printed] and “Avroman” [handwritten]; and 3. the protologue reads: “Hab. in rupestribus calcareis Kurdistaniae persicae supra Nasud 6000’”. Both specimens have a printed label with generalised locality information (probably used for several collections). The handwritten locality should be taken into account. There is no evidence that the two specimens have been collected in different places (both in Mont Avroman). The locality on G-BOIS (G00330560) is more precise and matches the diagnosis. Regarding collection date: 1. the specimen in G-BOIS (G00330560) is labelled: “Mars-Mai. 1867”, but the second sheet is dated: “Jul 67”[handwritten]; 2. the specimen in G (G00382606) is dated: “ Jul. 1867 ”; and 3. the protologue reads: “ Flores Julio nondum explicati’” [flowers in July, not yet opened]. Here, we are in doubt about this printed information on labels, and our opinion is that the second sheet of the G-BOIS specimens bears the true handwritten information, the one Boissier has used for his diagnosis. Furhermore, both specimens appear very similar, not only conspecific but likely being part of the same collection (based on flowering stage, drying appearance). So, it seems that these plants are duplicates, G-BOIS (G00330560) being the holotype, and G (G00382606) an isotype. As a rule, we consider that the original material used by Boissier for his descriptions of Diagn. Pl. Orient. and Fl. Orient. was in his herbarium and is now in G-BOIS. So, if there is only one collection cited (as in this case), the holotype is automatically the one in G-BOIS. Lectotypification is necessary only when there are several collections cited in the protologue. In that sense, we would not say that the lectotypification of Wagenitz must be “rejected”, because the specimen he selected is actually the holotype. We would say that it is superfluous, and would cite the G-BOIS specimen as holotype, not lectotype.

Regarding the authorship of the name, Index Kewensis, IPNI and Wagenitz (1960) misinterpreted it as Centaurea phlomoides Boiss. & Hausskn. ex Boiss. The authorship of the species described for the first time in Boissier’s Flora Orientalis ( Boissier 1875) . When authorship was shared, Boissier wrote both authors in brackets as Centaurea phlomoides “(Boiss. & Haussk.) ” that should be interpreted as Centaurea phlomoides Boiss. & Hausskn. in Boiss., but certainly not Centaurea phlomoides Boiss. & Hausskn. ex Boiss. (Art. 46.2).

Taxonomic and distribution remarks: — Centaurea phlomoides is a narrow endemic to Kermanshah and Kurdistan Provinces, W Iran ( Fig. 55 ). It seems likely to occur also in NE Iraq. Centaurea phlomoides is an Irano-Turanian element, and grows on stony slopes, dry open places, Quercus brantii forest, and mid-montane zone, at elevations of 1300–1800 m. Is is the only species of C. sect. Cynaroides with digitate spinules. Centaurea phlomoides is a distinct species without close relatives in Iran. It is easily distinguished from the other yellow-flowering species of C. sect. Cynaroides by having digitate spinules and densely congest corymbs.

Chromosome numbers: —Unknown.

Selected specimens examined:— IRAN. Prov. Kermanshah: Paveh, road of Bayangan , 1350 m, Ghahreman & Attar 22588 ( TUH!); Bayangan, 1600 m, Neamati 4866 ( HKK!) .

Figures

FIGURE 54. Centaurea phlomoides Boissier & Haussknecht (Haussknecht s.n., G).

FIGURE 55. Distribution of Centaurea phlomoides (circles), C. rahiminejadii (squares), and C. ravansarensis (triangles).