Corispermum tibeticum Iljin, Izv. Glavn. Bot. Sada SSSR 28: 644 (1929)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 91-92

9. Corispermum tibeticum Iljin, Izv. Glavn. Bot. Sada SSSR 28: 644 (1929)

Corispermum tibeticum Iljin, Izv. Glavn. Bot. Sada SSSR 28: 644 (1929). Lectotype (Sukhorukov, designated here): [probably INDIA, Jammu & Kashmir] Hab. Tibet Occ., alt. 10000-15000 ft a.s.l., [J.D.]Hooker f. & T.T. Thomson s.n. (K! lower right plant). Note. The Falconer specimens cited in the protologue as the type material of C. tibeticum were labelled by Iljin in 1929 as "an Corispermum orientale ?" ["whether C. orientale ?"]. In the protologue ( Iljin 1929), the specimens were cited as a type material of C. tibeticum , but the Falconer syntype kept at K is not informative and rather deviates from the typical C. tibeticum by its almost wingless fruits. We propose to select a lectotype from other specimens (syntypes) cited by Iljin in the protologue. The lectotype designated here shows the pubescent plant with lanceolate or narrowly oblong leaves, fruits with a blackish body and a small wing. Some other collections cited in the protologue (Shayuk Valley, 3 Oct 1847, T.T. Thomson, K; Indus valley, 1 Oct 1847, Hooker & T.T. Thomson, K) and mounted as one specimen are C. dutreuilii .

= C. ladakhianum Grey-Wilson & Wadhwa, Kew Bull. 42(2): 471 (1987), syn. nov. Holotype. [INDIA] Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Khardung, 3900 m a.s.l., Aug 1976, Wadhwa 59931 (K! isotype BSD000000038!). Note. Grey-Wilson and Wadhwa (1987) compared Corispermum ladakhianum with C. lehmannianum ; the latter species grows in the plains of West-Central Asia (most common in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) and Iran. Other taxa were not mentioned in the discussion. Corispermum ladakhianum matches C. tibeticum in all characters.

Taxonomic notes.

Although C. tibeticum looks very similar to C. hyssopifolium (and many old specimens were previously identified as such), the fruit anatomy does not confirm the close affinity of both species. As stated earlier, the fruits of C. hyssopifolium always have several sclereid layers in different locations ( Sukhorukov 2007b, 2014) and the distribution patterns of C. tibeticum and C. hyssopifolium are very distant (North Himalaya and Eastern Europe, respectively). Some specimens from Ladakh, that were examined, possess elongated fruits appearing similar to those of the C. declinatum group. However, the fruit anatomy of C. tibeticum drastically differs from that of C. declinatum Stephan ex Iljin or C. tylocarpum Hance (for more, see Sukhorukov 2007a, 2007b) and it is typical of C. tibeticum and relatives ( C. dutreuilii Iljin, C. hilariae Iljin and C. pamiricum Iljin). Some forms of C. tibeticum with the triangular fruit beak appear similar to C. dutreuilii .

The presence of C. declinatum and C. tylocarpum (syn.: C. gmelinii Bunge) in Tibet and North Himalaya (L. Klimeš, in herb.) is not confirmed.

Description.

Annual up to 30 cm, moderately pubescent, looking greyish even at maturity and the fruiting stage. Leaves lanceolate, spatulate or narrowly oblong, up to 4.0 × 0.5(0.7) cm with a mucro at the top. Inflorescence elongated, its branches with many (up to 30) flowers. Bracts significantly shorter than leaves, ovoid, (almost) completely covering the fruit. Fruit 2.8-3.2 × 2.5 mm, 0.50-0.65 mm thick, body sometimes blackish with entire margin and broadly triangular apex terminating in slightly emarginate beak, glabrous and mostly smooth (without detachments), sometimes with small warts (Fig. 36D ). Marginal wing clearly expressed, ~0.30 mm, triangular in cross-section. Sclereids in the medium fruit part in one layer located parallel to the fruit axis or rarely absent.

Habitat.

Sandy riverbeds and stony deserts; 3000-4800 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

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

Distribution.

See Fig. 37 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Ngari Prefecture: [Gar County] Pangong Lake, 4430 m a.s.l., 24 Jul 1892, Pekcz s.n. (LE); [Burang County] Manasarovar Lake (Mapam Yumtso), south shore of Langa Tso (Lake), 30°30'N, 81°17'E, 4680 m a.s.l., 29 Aug 1993, G. & S. Miehe 9598/03 (MSB147354);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: Ladakh, nr Leh, Sep 1848, 10000-15000 ft a.s.l., T.T. Thomson s.n. (K); Nubra [valley], Sep 1848, 10000-15000 ft a.s.l., T.T. Thomson s.n. (K); [Leh distr.,] Nurla, 10000-11000 ft a.s.l., Jul 1905, A. Meebold 3957 (G); Ladakh, Saspul, 3320 m a.s.l., 8 Sep 1989, L. Klimeš & Sintek s.n. (MSB137930); Ladakh, Rupshu Region, Tso Moriri, 4650 m a.s.l., 11 Aug 2001, L. Klimeš 1328 (PRA); Ladakh, Pangong Region, Spangmik to Pangong Lake, 4300 m a.s.l., 10 Sep 2002, L. Klimeš 10 & 13 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sham (W), Mebtah, 3700-3750 m a.s.l., 22 Sep 2005, L. Klimeš 6494 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sham (W), Sumdo to Phobe La, 3420-3500 m a.s.l., 24 Sep 2005, L. Klimeš 6519 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sham (W), Nimu, 3180 m a.s.l., 24 Sep 2006, L. Klimeš 7377 (PRA).

General distribution.

N Himalaya, NW Tibet, Karakoram and Pamir.

Figures

Figure 36. SEM micrographs of Corispermum fruits: A C. lhasaense B C. lepidocarpum C C. gelidum D C. tibeticum. Magnification: 30 x.

Figure 37. Distribution map of Corispermum lepidocarpum (circles), C. gelidum (stars) and C. tibeticum (triangles).