Taraxacum bellicum Sonck, Memoranda Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn. 59: 1. 1983.

Wolanin, Mateusz, Klichowska, Ewelina, Jedrzejczyk, Iwona, Rewers, Monika & Nobis, Marcin, 2023, Taxonomy and distribution of Taraxacum sect. Erythrosperma (Asteraceae) in Poland, PhytoKeys 224, pp. 1-88 : 1

1. Taraxacum bellicum Sonck, Memoranda Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn. 59: 1. 1983.

Taraxacum prunicolor = Taraxacum prunicolor Mart.Schmid, Vašut & Oosterv., Feddes Repert. 115: 221. 2004. Type: Germany, Mittelfranken, Bayern. Erlangen, scattered sandy places under pinewood at the Erwin-Rommel-Wohnheim, Uni-Südgelände (MTB 6432/14; R 4429999 H 5493713), 1 May 2002, M. Schmid (holotype in M 0165146; isotypes in M 0165145, L 0538648, PRA, OL, STU, DR).

Type.

Finland, Lapponia inarensis, Jnari, church village, Miesniemi (lat. 68°52'N.), 7 July 1981, C. E. Sonck s.n. (holotype in H 591459; isotypes in CES, H 591458, S) .

Description.

Plants small to middle-sized, 5-12(-15) cm tall. Leaves greenish, almost glabrous, (5-)7-15(-20) cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, generally 3-6 times longer than wide, blades broadest in middle, with 3-5(-6) pairs of lateral lobes; lateral lobes of the inner leaves patent or slightly recurved, narrowly triangular, acute, with an entire or slightly dentate distal margin, proximal margin usually entire or with a few small teeth; lateral lobes of the outer leaves triangular, proximal margin usually entire, distal margin entire or slightly dentate; interlobes often toothed, sometimes blackish rimmed; terminal lobe of the inner leaves mostly with lingulate apex; terminal lobe of the outer and medial leaves triangular or slightly lingulate, usually packed lateral lobes below; petioles unwinged, pale purple to pale brown-purple. Scapes as long as or longer than leaves, green suffused with pale purple, hairy below capitulum. Capitulum slightly convex, 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter, dark yellow, outer strips grey brown; inner bracts greyish-green, corniculate, outer bracts usually 10-14, lanceolate, usually 6.5-9 mm long, 1-3 mm broad, usually red-violet, hyaline margin inconspicuous (up to 0.1 mm broad), regularly recurved, usually with small cornicules; stigmas yellow-greenish, yellow-green-blackish after drying, pollen present. Achenes greyish purple-brown, sparsely spinulose at the top, 3.5-4.0 mm long (incl. the 1.0-1.3 mm long, narrowly conical cone), rostrum 6.0-7.0 mm long, pappus white.

Flowering period.

April (May).

Habitat.

In the Polish lowlands this species occurs in a wide spectrum of habitats; mostly in dry, sandy semiruderal locations exposed to the sun, e.g. roadsides, paths in dry pine forests, sandy embankments, dry pastures, sandy paths in cemeteries (especially in Wielkopolska Lowland); plant communities with its participation are dominated by species characteristic to the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea and Sedo-Scleranthetea classes. In Podlchia (Klimaszewnica) it was reported in a pastured dry grassland with: Achillea millefolium , Agrostis capillaris , Artemisia campestris , Carex caryophyllea , Cerstium holosteoides , Erophila verna , Galium mollugo , Knautia arvensis , Luzula campestris , Medicago falcata , Myosotis stricta , Pilosella officinarum , Plantago lanceolata , Ranunculus bulbosus , Sedum acre , Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum and Trifolium repens . In south Poland, this species often grows in small enclaves on exposed rocky slopes, rock shelves and fissures, in plant communities dominated by species characteristic to classes Sedo-Scleranthetea, Festuco-Brometea and Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. In Kraków-Częstochowa Upland ( Kraków Kostrze place) this species was noted in irregular xerothermic grassland (evolved in an old limestone excavation), together with Achillea millefolium , Acinos arvensis , Alyssum alyssoides , Arenaria serpyllifolia , Artemisia vulgaris , Asperula cynanchica , Bromus hordeaceus , Centaurea stoebe , Dactylis glomerata , Echium vulgare , Erodium cicutarium , Euphorbia cyparissias , Festuca pratensis , F. rubra , Galium verum , Koeleria macrantha , Medicago x varia , M. falcata , Plantago media , Potentilla arenaria , Sanguisorba minor , Sedum acre , S. sexangulare , Stachys recta , Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum , Thlaspi perfoliatum , Thymus kosteleckyanus , T. pulegioides , Trifolium repens .

Somatic chromosome number.

24 ( Wolanin and Musiał 2017).

General distribution.

Central European species reported in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, Ukraine and Finland ( Uhlemann 2003; Horn et al. 2004; Schmid et al. 2004; Nobis et al. 2020b). Populations from Finland are most likely of anthropogenic origin ( EURO+MED 2006 -onwards).

Distribution in Poland.

Scattered localities, quite frequent in Podlachia, the western part of Lesser Poland and Greater Poland (Fig. 10A ).

Specimens examined.

BB76 - Borne Sulinowo, woj. zachodniopomorskie, 10 May 2005, K. Rostański (122777 KTU); CD31 - Murzynowo Leśne, square close to shop, 52°09'17"N, 17°20'25"E, 17 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003506 UR); Solec, anti-flood embankment on the Warta River , 52°06'08"N, 17°19'53"E, 17 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003495 UR); CD32 - Nowe Miasto nad Warta , lawn in cemetery, 52°05'14"N, 17°23'57"E, 17 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003515 UR); CD40 - Książ Wielkopolski, roadside in forest, 52°04'02"N, 17°14'44"E, 16 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003538 UR); CD41 - between Radoszkowo and Chromiec, sandy embankment near disused railway track, 52°02'20"N, 17°16'30"E, 16 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003519 UR); CD64 - Las Taczanowski near Ostrów Wielkopolski, 2 May 2013, A. Czarna (POZNB); DA81 - Gdańsk (Stogi), roadside in pine forest, 54°22'31"N, 18°43'27"E, 7 May 2016, M. Wolanin (003488 UR); DC52 - Dąbrówka, forest roadside, 52°53'42"N, 18°57'51"E, 29 April 2018, M. Wolanin (003446 UR); DC52 - Wakole village vicinity, roadside in pine forest, 52°50'34"N, 18°57'07"E, 29 April 2018, M. Wolanin (003451 UR); DC52 - Stare Rybitwy, roadside in pine forest, 52°50'01"N, 18°55'53"E, 29 April 2018, M. Wolanin (003457 UR); DC73 - Włocławek, gap between pavement and kerb, 52°40'29"N, 19°05'12"E, 29 April 2018, M. Wolanin (003479 UR); DE96 - Bystrzanowice, roadside of asphalt road No 46, 50°42'24"N, 19°30'53"E, 20 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003532 UR); DF37 - Jaroszowiec near Olkusz, grassland near forest road, 12 May 1977, H. Trzcińska-Tacik (392532 KRAM); DF58 - Duże Skałki, bonfire-burnt location on grassland, 50°11'19"N, 19°48'23"E, 30 April 2013, M. Wolanin (003345 UR); Żytnia Skała, grassland on rocks, 50°11'07"N, 19°48'05"E, 30 April 2013, M. Wolanin (003256 UR); Żytnia Skała, fissures in rock, 50°11'09"N, 19°48'04"E, 30 April 2013, M. Wolanin (003338 UR); Bolechowice, calcareous rocks, 1 May 1976, H., T. & J. Tacik (392437, 392438, 575859 KRAM); Bolechowice, path, field road, 21 May 1976, T. Tacik (387575, 392460, 575854, 575893 KRAM); Dolina Kluczwody, calcareous rocks, 4 May 1957, W. Wojewoda (0129483 KRA); N of the village Biały Kościół, grassland on calcareous rock, 10 May 2013, M. Nobis (KRA); DF67 - Czułów, grassland on rock, SW slope, 50°04'02"N, 19°41'39"E, 20 April 2015, M. Wolanin (003282 UR); DF68 - Kraków ( Bielany ), forest clearing near road, 27 April 1975, T. Tacik (575853 KRAM); between Kryspinów and Bielany, sunny hill, 16 May 1976, H., T. & J. Tacik (392443 KRAM); DF69 - Kostrze ( Kraków), roadside, quarry, 50°02'18"N, 19°52'10"E, 19 April 2015, M. Wolanin (003295 UR), Pychowicka Górka, grassland on rocky-humus soil, 50°01'50"N, 19°53'00"E, 29 April 2013, M. Wolanin (003378 UR); Kraków, limestone hill near Pychowice, 8 May 1953, T. Tacik (575869 KRAM); Kraków ( Zakrzówek), sunny hill, 5 August 1976, T. Tacik (392451 KRAM); Las Wolski ( Kraków), calcareous rocks, 4 May 1954, A. Jasiewicz (437763 KRAM); Pychowice, hill, 11 May 1975, T. Tacik (392445 KRAM); DF78 - Piekary ( Kraków), grassland on rock, S slope, 50°00'54"N, 19°47'39"E, 19 April 2015, M. Wolanin (003269 UR); Tyniec Podgórki ( Góra Wielkanoc), grassland on rocky-humus soil, 50°01'01"N, 19°48'55"E, 29 April 2013, M. Wolanin ( UR 003337 ); Tyniec , Juranda ze Spychowa Street , calcareous rocks in former excavation, 50°00'34"N, 19°48'55"E, 29 April 2013, M. Wolanin (003366 UR); Piekary Tynieckie , grassland on rock, 20 April 1975, T. Tacik (575852 KRAM); Tyniec , hill, 14 May 1967, J. Błaszczak (063403 KRA); DF79 - Kraków ( Borek Falecki ), pine forest, 7 May 1976, T. Tacik (392439 KRAM); Podgorki Tynieckie , sunny hill, 11 May 1976, T. Tacik (570163 KRAM); Podgorki Tynieckie , Biedzina hill, SW slope, 8 May 1979, H. Trzcińska-Tacik (601089 KRAM); EG23 - Łącko, dry grassland close to Dunajec River , 3 May 1970, K. Towpasz (80794 KRA); Maszkowice n. Dunajcem , 13 May 1970, K. Towpasz (0123940 KRA); EG24 - Kadcza ( Kotlina Sadecka ), rocky slope above road, 20 May 1970, K. Towpasz (80793 KRA); FA98 - Gulbieniszki , dry grassland on SW slope of Gora Cisowa hill, 54°15'05"N, 22°54'33"E, 1 May 2018, M. Wolanin (003462 UR); Jeleniewo , pasture on dry rocky SW slope, 54°11'38"N, 22°54'50"E, 1 May 2018, M. Wolanin (003444 UR); FB69 - Zabiele-Kolonia , sandy roadside, 53°33'30"N, 22°59'18"E, 24 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003526 UR); FB76 - Klimaszewnica , sandy roadside, 53°28'50"N, 22°30'48"E, 24 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003524 UR); FB77 - between Goniądz and Szafranki, dry pasture, 53°29'16"N, 22°42'30"E, 24 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003529 UR); Osowiec , dry sandy roadside near fort, 53°29'29"N, 22°38'20"E, 24 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003528 UR); FB85 - Chrzanowo , sandy square close to excavation, 53°23'27"N, 22°21'23"E, 24 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003492 UR); FB86 - Klimaszewnica , pastured grassland on sandy hill, 53°28'01"N, 22°30'07"E, 24 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003525 UR); FC11 - Czartoria , hillock close to river, 8 May 2016, T. Grużewska (MPD); FC13 - Piątnica ( Fort Lomza ), pastured grassland, 53°11'50"N, 22°06'53"E, 25 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003534 UR); FC73 - Poniatowo , sandy roadside, 52°38'26"N, 22°02'44"E, 26 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003522, 003523 UR); Przewoz Nurski nad Bugiem , sandy roadside, 52°39'51"N, 22°17'30"E, 26 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003565 UR); FC87 - Arbasy , sandy roadside, 52°30'39"N, 22°32'26"E, 26 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003520, 003521 UR); FC97 - between Pustkowice and Minczew, sandy side of asphalt road, 52°27'16"N, 22°34'47"E, 26 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003535 UR); FC99 - Anusin , sandy roadside at pine forest edge, 52°23'45"N, 22°53'46"E, 25 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003308 UR); Siemiatycze-Stacja , sandy roadside, 52°23'32"N, 22°56'10"E, 25 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003527 UR); FE60 - Podgrodzie near Ćmielów, xetothermic grassland on SW slope, 50°54'24"N, 21°32'44"E, 17 April 2012, M. Wolanin (003396 UR); Podgrodzie near Ćmielów, xerothermic grassland on rock outcrop, 50°54'24"N, 21°32'44"E, 17 April 2012, M. Wolanin, M. Nykiel (003397 UR); FE84 - between Zaklików and Lipa, sandy location at pine forest edge, 50°42'41"N, 22°04'43"E, 19 April 2019, M. Wolanin (003585 UR); GD10 - Serpelice, lawn, 52°16'49"N, 23°03'01"E, 25 April 2016, M. Wolanin (003530 UR) .

Notes.

The species shows high morphological variability within leaf shape and the position and colour of outer phyllaries. This variability is evident among the populations from the Polish lowlands, often found in semi-shaded semi-ruderal and ruderal habitats such as sandy and gravely roadsides, backyards, sandy roads and paths in the forests and thickets. Features typical of the species, such as regularly recurved, red-purple, narrowly-edged outer phyllaries, or the distinct lingously elongated apex of the inner leaves terminal lobe, are well visible in specimens growing in stable, dry and full sun habitats, e.g. in sandy grasslands and rock grasslands in the south of Poland. Due to high morphological plasticity, the species can sometimes be confused with T. scanicum , which differs from T. bellicum , e.g. outer phyllaries are distinctly bordered (0.1-0.2 mm), mostly green, and the leaves' side lobes are regularly incised (Figs 11 , 12 ).

Figures

Figure 10. Distribution maps of Taraxacum sect. Erythrosperma in Poland A T. bellicum B T. brachyglossum C T. cristatum D T. danubium E T. disseminatum F T. dissimile; black square - localities recorded during field studies, black circle - other localities known from herbarium data.

Figure 11. Variation in leaf shape in T. bellicum; locality - Nowe Miasto nad Warta (M. Wolanin 2016 UR). Scale bar: 5 cm.

Figure 12. Taraxacum bellicum; locality - between Zaklikow and Lipa, 2019, photo by M. Wolanin.