Dysphania kitiae Uotila, Willdenowia 43(1): 75 (2013)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 58

4. Dysphania kitiae Uotila, Willdenowia 43(1): 75 (2013)

Dysphania kitiae Uotila, Willdenowia 43(1): 75 (2013). Holotype. CHINA, Gansu [Prov.], Monastery Chorten-tan, on sunny slopes on clay and rich soil, 7000 ft a.s.l., early September 1901, V.F. Ladygin 596 (LE!).

= Chenopodium aristatum L. forma muticum J.Q.Fu Fl. Loess-Plateaus Sin. 1: 610 (2000), nom. illegit.

= Neobotrydium corniculatum G.L.Chu & M.L.Zhang, Pl. Diversity 38(6): 325 (2016), syn. nov. Holotype: CHINA, Gansu [Prov.], Diebu Xian, Wangzang, foot of slopes, [date of collection not indicated in the protologue] G.L. Chu 15618 (NWTC, n.v.).

Taxonomic notes.

The name Chenopodium aristatum L. forma muticum ( Fu 2000) is published with two holotypes and this is considered an uncorrectable error according to ICN ( Turland et al. 2018), art. 40.6. Another name, Neobotrydium corniculatum , is synonymised here for the first time based on the following observations: (1) description of N. corniculatum and the drawing of the entire plant, especially perianth features, correspond with Dysphania kitiae ; (2) specimens kept at the PE and WUK herbaria and cited as Dysphania kitiae by Sukhorukov and Kushunina (2014) are the same as those listed by Zhang and Zhu (2016) for Neobotrydium corniculatum . One of the specimens of Neobotrydium ornithopodum G.L. Chu & M.L. Zhang ( Zhang and Zhu 2016), cited in the protologue (Hebei prov., leg. Hsia 2448, WUK!), is in fact Dysphania kitiae (see citation of the specimens in Sukhorukov and Kushunina (2014)). We have not investigated the holotype of Neobotrydium ornithopodum , a species closely related to Dysphania nepalensis .

Description.

Annual up to 50 cm, strongly aromatic. Leaves 4.0-10.0 × 2.0-4.0 cm, long-petiolate, elliptic-oblong in outline, apex rounded. Inflorescence with indumentum consisting of scattered short simple hairs (up to 0.3 mm long) and subsessile glands. Perianth segments 5, basally connate, 1.0-1.2 × 0.5-0.6 mm; their dorsal part with yellow glands and scattered stout simple hairs (up to 0.1 mm), the latter mostly localised in the upper half of the segments (Fig. 20G ). Fruit 0.7-0.9 mm, subspherical. Pericarp with minute conical papillae up to 25 μm (Fig. 20H ); seed blackish; embryo horizontal.

Habitat.

Grassy slopes and waste areas at altitudes of 2000-3800 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

Flowering: July-September; fruiting: August-October.

Distribution.

See Fig. 22 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Lhasa City: W of Lhasa, 3800 m a.s.l., 15 Jun 1974, Mountaineering Scientific Expedition Team 310 (HNWP42358); Nyingchi Prefecture: Zhamo (Bomi) County, 2700 m a.s.l., 16 Jul 1965, Zhang & Lang 314 (PE00511015); Zayü (Chayu) County, Cawarong (Chawalong) Distr., 2800 m a.s.l., 28 Sep 1982, Qinghai-Tibet Team 10836 (PE01063458).

General distribution.

South-West, Central and North-East China (for more, see Sukhorukov and Kushunina (2014)).

Figures

Figure 20. SEM micrographs: A perianth of Dysphania ambrosioides B pericarp of Dysphania ambrosioides C perianth of D. himalaica D pericarp of D. himalaica E perianth of D. bhutanica F pericarp of D. bhutanica G perianth of D. kitiae H pericarp of D. kitiae. Magnification: 150 x (A), 250 x (C, E, G), 500 x (B, D, F, H).

Figure 22. Distribution map of Dysphania bhutanica (circles) and D. kitiae (stars).