Corispermum dutreuilii Iljin, Acta Inst. Bot. Acad. Sc. URSS, ser. 1(3): 162 (1937)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 85

4. Corispermum dutreuilii Iljin, Acta Inst. Bot. Acad. Sc. URSS, ser. 1(3): 162 (1937)

Lectotype

(Sukhorukov, designated here): [CHINA, Xinjiang, Kashgar Prefecture] Polour, 2582 m a.s.l., 17 Jul 1892, [J.L.] Dutreuil de Rhins s.n. (LE01013341!).

Note.

No herbarium is indicated in the protologue ( Iljin 1937). We selected the lectotype using a specimen in LE.

Description.

Annual up to 20 cm, glabrescent with ascending branches. Leaves linear to oblong (the lower leaves often spatulate), up to 3.0 × 0.6 cm, often recurved with visible white margins and a mucro at the top. Inflorescence elongated, with many flowers. Bracts leaf-like, lanceolate, significantly exceeding the fruit in length and covering it completely laterally. Fruit 2.8-3.5(4.0) × 2.0-2.5 mm, flat or often folded, acute (triangular) apex with verrucose (warty) surface, without stellate hairs (type variety) or with stellate hairs (var. montanum) and clearly visible (0.45-0.70 mm) undulate wing that is narrowly triangular in cross-section. Pericarp detachments up to 100 µm. Sclereids in medium fruit part with 1-2 layers located parallel to the fruit axis, rarely with no sclereids.

Distribution.

Corispermum dutreuilii seems to be the most common species of the genus in Ladakh and NW Xizang. Both varieties can grow together, e.g. in Ladakh (collection numbers 3465 & 3470 for the type variety and 6265 & 6266 for var. montanum (PRA)).

Habitat.

Sandy riverbeds, stony deserts; 3500-5000 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

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

General distribution.

West China (Xizang, Xinjiang, Qinghai), North India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan.