Allium jichouense X.G.Ma, H.Sun & D.Q.Huang, 2022

Huang, De-Qing, Sun, Hang & Ma, Xiang-Guang, 2022, Allium jichouense (Amaryllidaceae), a new species of the section Sikkimensia from southwestern China, Phytotaxa 575 (2), pp. 115-128 : 122

Allium jichouense X.G.Ma, H.Sun & D.Q.Huang , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–2 )

Type: — CHINA, Sichuan: Jiulong County, Jichou Mountain , alpine screes, 4503 m, 29.31°N, 101.50°E, 19 August 2022, X.G. Ma et al. MXG22-46 (holotype KUN ; isotype CDBI, KUN) ; the same locality, 7 August 2018, W.G. Sun et al. FSC-31 (paratype KUN)

Description: —Bulbs solitary or in clusters of 2 or 3, cylindric, 0.5–0.7 cm in diam., usually attached to a horizontal or oblique rhizome, rhizome 5.8–8.9 mm long; tunic dirty gray, or blackish brown to grayish brown, fibrous, inconspicuously subreticulate at base. Leaves 2 to 4; leaf sheaths not exposed above ground, 2.3–6.2 cm high; leaf blades broadly linear, usually falcate or curled, shorter than to nearly as long as scape, 1.5–3.8(–6.7) mm wide, flat, usually tinged with reddish-purple to dark purple, sometimes only at margins. Scape nodding distally, usually tinged with greenish reddish-purple, 6.5–7.6 cm high, terete, covered with leaf sheaths at base only. Spathe pale yellowishred to reddish-purple, 1-valved, deciduous or partly persistent, 1.4–1.5 cm long; beak very short, 0.3–0.5 mm long. Umbel usually 4–9 flowered. Pedicels subequal, 5.7–9.0 mm long, shorter than tepals, ebracteolate. Perianth pinkishblue, tepals with greenish-yellow or dark purple midvein; outer tepals narrowly oblong to oblong-elliptic, 13.7–14.8 × 3.8–4.3 mm, apex obtuse; inner ones ovate-oblong, sometimes with irregularly remotely denticulate at margins, ca. 14.5 × 4.1–4.6 mm, apex obtuse. Filaments not exserted, reddish-purple, subequal, 3.6–6.8 mm long, 1/2–2/3 as long as tepals, connate and adnate to tepals for ca. 1 mm; outer ones subulate, rarely broadened at base; inner ones broadened at base (without teeth at margins), ca. 1.7 mm wide; anthers elliptical, pale brown, 2.0–2.2× 1.0– 1.2 mm. Ovary subglobose, with broad and concave nectaries, covered by short and hoodlike appendages at base, ca. 3.1 × 2.2 mm. Style slightly shorter than or subequal to ovary, non-exserted, ca. 2.8 mm high; stigma punctiform.

Phenology: —Flowering from July to August.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the type locality Jichou Mt., a mountain range at the border between Jiulong County and Kangding City of Sichuan Province, China.

Distribution, habitat, and ecology:— Allium jichouense is currently known from the type locality in Jiulong County and nearby Zimei pass of Gonggashan Township in Kangding County of Sichuan Province. Geographically, A. jichouense is sympatric with its closest relative A. sikkimense , as well as A. forrestii and A. changduense . It grows exclusively on alpine screes or gravelly slopes at higher elevations of 4,300 –4,500 m, and exhibits several morphological adaptations to the scree habitat, such as dwarf form, often falcate or curled leaves, commonly colored aboveground parts (including leaves, scape, spathe-valves and flowers), extended rhizomes and well-developed deep roots, demonstrating the well coevolution between scree plants and environment ( Musarella et al. 2020).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitat and habit of Allium jichouense. A, natural habitat on alpine screes. B–C, habit. D, inflorescence. E, dissection of a flower. F–G, bulbs, showing fibrous bulb outer tunics and extended rhizomes indicated by the red arrows. (B & F, from Gonggashan of Sichuan Prov.; others from the type locality)

FIGURE 2. Illustration of Allium jichouense. A, habit. B, three tepals and stamens. C, pistil (showing ovary and nectary).