Taraxacum abnorme Štěpánek & Kirschner, 2022

Štěpánek, Jan & Kirschner, Jan, 2022, A hotspot of endemism: Oreophytic Taraxacum species (Compositae, Crepidinae) in the mountains of Bulgaria, Phytotaxa 569 (1), pp. 1-139 : 90-93

7. Taraxacum abnorme Štěpánek & Kirschner , sp. nov.

Type:— Bulgaria, montes Rila , opp. Samokov , pagus Borovec , Musalenski Ezera, ad casam alpinam “Ledenoto Ezero” in ripa lacus VII. (= Ledenoto ezero) sub monte Musala (2925 m), ca. 2715 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4493, collected in 1991 ( PRA, no. det. 35758, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 26145, and duplicates) .

Etymology:—Aberrant, strange, extraordinary (from Latin, abnormis, deviating from the rule).

Diagnosis:—Species notabilis foliis pinnatisectis facie T. scanici, pallide viridibus glaberrimis, lobis lateralibus angustis, anguste triangularibus vel lineari-triangularibus, phyllariis involucralibus exterioribus paucis, numero 9–14, laxe adpressis, in sicco atroviridibus, limbo conspicuo 0.2–0.5 mm lato scarioso, stigmatibus fere luteis vel subluteis, acheniis longis et tenuibus, pallide stramineis vel pallide stramineo-brunnescentibus, corpore superne susparse squamuloso, in pyramidem subcylindricam crassiusculam 0.3–0.9 mm longam subabrupte transeunte.

Plants small to medium-sized, ± slender, usually 9–18 cm tall. Plant base with a slightly developed tunic, almost glabrous among petiole bases. Petiole winged to broadly winged in outer leaves, narrowly winged or unwinged in the inner leaves, light greenish, usually 1.5–3 cm long. Leaves erect-patent to ± prostrate, light green, not spotted, glabrous, usually oblanceolate to narrowly so in outline, 5–10 × 1–2.5 cm, irregularly pinnatisect with segments and lobules (a shape similar to that of T. scanicum ); terminal segment triangular, broadly triangular or helmet-shaped, usually 0.7–1.5 × 0.8–1.5 cm, sometimes elongated and subdivided, obtusely acute, distal margin subconvex to subsigmoid, entire, often with an asymmetrical shallow incision, basal lobules subrecurved, obtusely acute to acute, proximal margin concave to straight, entire; lateral segments (3) 4 (5) pairs, usually narrowly triangular to linear-triangular, usually 4–8 mm long, 5–10 mm wide at base, often subdivided in two lobe-like parts (a deep incision), recurved, distal margin ± straight to subconcave, entire or with 1–3 minute teeth, proximal margin subconcave or subsigmoid, entire; interlobes long, usually 3–8 mm long, to 6 mm wide, bordered brown-purple, entire or with 1–3 medium-sized teeth, or with a single thin lobule, margin ± raised; mid-vein pale (or purplish in old leaves). Scapes glabrous, pale greenish, suffused purplish after anthesis, usually overtopping leaves. Capitulum ca. 2.5–3 cm wide, yellow. Involucre slightly pruinose, rounded and 6–8 mm wide at base. Outer phyllaries 9–14, loosely appressed, relatively short, reaching 1/4–1/3 of inner phyllaries, ovate to ovate-lanceolate (the uppermost ones to lanceolate), usually 4.5–5.5 (–6.5) × 2–4.2 mm, surface ± evenly dark olivaceous-green (grey-black when dry), with a ± abrupt transition in a membranous to whitish-membranous border 0.2–0.5 mm wide, margin glabrous or irregularly minutely ciliate, apex elongated, suffused purplish, flat; inner phyllaries ca. 12 mm long, elongating after anthesis to reach ca. 15 mm, of ± equal width. Outer ligules flat, striped light greyish olivaceous outside, apical teeth grey, inner ligules canaliculate, their apical teeth dark yellow. Stigmas long, almost pure yellow, sometimes slightly greyish yellow or pale greenish yellow, usually with hyaline pubescence outside. Pollen present, conspicuously irregular in size. Achenes light stramineous to light stramineous-brown, long, subturbinate, 4.6–5.4 × 1.0– 1.1 mm, body with subsparse squamules and less frequent spinules in upper 1/6, subabruptly narrowing into a short, subcylindrical cone (0.3–) 0.4–0.9 × ca. 0.4 mm; beak 7–7.5 mm long, pappus ± white, 5.5–6 mm long. – Agamosperm. – Fig. 50B , 51, 52.

Diagnostic notes:— Taraxacum abnorme is strikingly similar to T. scanicum Dahlst. in its general habit. it is similar and probably related to species of the T. pirinicum group; from T. pirinicum , it conspicuously differs in the achene colour, in a broader border to outer phyllaries, and the leaf shape and colour, from T. leopardinum , it is distinct in leaves light green, not spotted, with narrower lateral segments, and achenes with the cone subcylindrical, and a shorter pappus.

Distribution and habitat:—Known from the Mt. Musala Massif in the Rila. It grows in ± disturbed alpine grasslands, at ca. 2700 m. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as VU.

Specimens examined:— BULGARIA. The Rila Mts. , Samokov , village of Borovec , Musalenski ezera [lakes], in the vicinity of the alpine chalet of Ledenoto Ezero , along the shore of lake VII (Ledenoto ezero), below Mt. Musala , ca. 2715 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4493 ( PRA, no. det. 26145); Ibidem ( PRA, no. det. 26144, 26140, 26138, 26136); Ibidem, JŠ 4498 ( PRA, no. det. 26141); Ibidem, JŠ 4487 ( PRA, no. det. 26139); Ibidem, JŠ 4486/2 ( PRA, no. det. 26137); Ibidem, JŠ 4497 ( PRA, no. det. 26135); Ibidem, JŠ 4497 ( PRA, no. det. 26143); Ibidem, JŠ 4493/1 ( PRA, no. det. 26142). – Less certain identification:—Pirin, Bansko, Demjanica river valley, near a spring at Demjaniška polana, ca. 1800–1850 m, 41° 45–46’ N, 23° 28–29’ E., 8 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 6294 ( PRA, no. det. 36147). – Bulgaria, Pirin, Bansko, scree along Banderica River, near the Banderica Chalet, ca. 1800 m, 11 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4555 ( PRA, no. det. 36158). – Rila, Samokov, Maljovica river valley, between “Komplex Maljovica” and the Maljovica Chalet, 1750–2000 m, 8 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4517 ( PRA, no. det. 36156) .

Figures

FIGURE 50. Achenes of T. leopardinum (A, PRA, no. det. 25473), T. abnorme (B, PRA, no. det. 26145), T. pirinicum (C, PRA, no. det. 25596) and T. chionogeiton (D, PRA, no. det. 35957, isotype). Scale bars = 1 mm.