Artemisia rupestris Linnaeus (1753: 847)

Guo, Xin-Qiang, Wang, Long & Yang, Qin-Er, 2022, The identity of Artemisia brevis (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from Xinjiang, China, Phytotaxa 543 (1), pp. 73-81 : 79-80

Artemisia rupestris Linnaeus (1753: 847) . Figs. 1 , 3–6 .

Type:—Without precise locality, Herb. Linn. No. 988.25 (lectotype designated by Ling in Jarvis & Turland (1998): LINN!). Fig. 3 .

= Artemisia brevis Pampanini (1938: 165) . Artemisia argyrophylla var. brevis (Pampanini) Ling (1988: 7) , syn. nov.

Type:— CHINA. Xinjiang, Fukang, Bogda Ola , Tu-Shu-Shan, in the valley above the Haitze lake , ca. 2000 m, 25 Jul. 1928, P.K.Vorotnikoff 535 (holotype S (Herb. No. S-GH-5309!)). Fig. 1 .

Description:—Herbs, perennial, usually caespitose, 20–50 cm tall, woody at base, arachnoid-pubescent or glabrescent. Stems brown or dark brown, shortly branched or not. Basal stem leaves usually sessile, sparsely pubescent or glabrescent, ovate-oblong or oblong, 3–5 cm long, 2–3 cm broad, 1- or 2-pinnatisect, segments 5–7 on each side, linear or linearlanceolate. Middle stem leaves ovate-elliptic or oblong, 2–5 cm long, 2–3 cm broad, 1- or 2-pinnatisect, segments 5–7 pairs, pectinate, linear or linear-lanceolate, 0.5– 1 cm long, 2–3 mm broad, lobules linear or lanceolate. Uppermost leaves and leaf-like bracts 1-pinnatisect, 3–5 segments on each side, linear or linear-lanceolate. Synflorescence a spike-like or raceme-like panicle. Capitula pedunculate or sessile, nodding, hemispheric or subglobose, 4–7 mm in diameter, phyllaries sparsely pubescent or glabrescent abaxially, with green midribs when fresh and membranous margin, receptacle hemispheric, pubescent. Marginal female florets 8–16, corolla vasiform or narrowly conical, 3- or 4-toothed. Disk florets 30–70, bisexual, corolla tubiform, 5-toothed. Achenes oblong or oblong- ovoid, usually with a minute apical crown.

Distribution and habitat:— Artemisia rupestris is widely distributed in Xinjiang, China ( Fig. 7 ), and also in Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Tajikistan ( Poljakov 1961, Ling 1991, Ling et al. 2011). It grows on dry hills, in desert or semidesert steppes, dry river valleys, or at forest margins at altitudes of 1100–4600 m.

Phenology:—Flowering from July to August; fruiting from August to October.

Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Xinjiang: Burqin, Anonymous 10766 (XJBI), G.J. Liu et al. 163 (XJBI); Fuhai, R.C. Ching 1371 (PE), G.J. Liu et al. 811 (XJBI), Sino-Russian Altai Exped. SRAE2007654 (PE); Fuyun, Anonymous 11346 (XJBI); Habahe, Anonymous 11015 (XJBI); Hami, Q.R. Wang et al. 4475 (NWTC); Hejing, A.J. Lee & J.N. Zhu 6357 (PE, XJBI); Hoxud, A.J. Lee & J.N. Zhu 7665 (PE, XJBI); Huocheng, Anonymous 173 (XJBI), Anonymous 177 (XJBI), C. Ren & L. Wang 846 (IBSC); Jeminay, Anonymous 1310 (XJBI), R.C. Ching 1310 (PE), C. Ren & L. Wang 894 (IBSC), C. Ren & L. Wang 899 (IBSC); Manas, Anonymous 589 (XJBI), Anonymous 1985 (XJBI), Anonymous s.n. (PE00445524), Anonymous s.n. (PE00478392), Anonymous s.n. (WUK; Herb. No. 296598); Qitai, G.J. Liu et al. 6517 (XJBI); Qinghe, Anonymous 11660 (XJBI), Anonymous 11766 (XJBI), Anonymous 11854 (XJBI), Anonymous 11872 (XJBI), R.C. Ching 789 (CDBI, KUN, PE), R.C. Ching 937 (PE), R.C. Ching 1080 (CDBI, HAST, PE, XJBI), R.C. Ching 1142 (PE), R.C. Ching 1371 (PE, XJBI), H.M. Li & Y.P. Zeng 432 (IBSC), Xinjiang Exped. 5017 (PE); Taxkorgan, Y.S. Chen 50 (PE), Kareem T111 (XJBI), Kareem T119 (XJBI), Kareem T137 (XJBI), Kareem T142 (XJBI), Kareem T143 (XJBI), Kareem T147 (XJBI), B.S. Li et al. 10605 (PE), B.S. Li et al. 10633 (PE), Northwest Inst. Bot. Xinjiang Exped. 1156 (PE, WUK), Northwest Inst. Bot. Xinjiang Exped. 1176 (PE, WUK), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 4873 (HNWP), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 870402 (HNWP, PE), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 870459 (HNWP, PE), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 870503 (HNWP, PE), Xinjiang Exped. 1375 (WUK, XJBI), Xinjiang Exped. 1418 (WUK, XJBI), Xinjiang Exped. 1446 (PE, WUK, XJBI), Xizang Exped. 3181 (XJBI); Toli, Anonymous 314 (PE), Anonymous 366 (XJBI), Depart. Biol. Tianshan Exped. 73 (XJBI); Zhaosu, Anonymous 780982 (XJBI).

Notes:— Wei (1999) and Wu (2008) specifically recorded the distribution of Artemisia rupestris , under the name of A. argyrophylla var. brevis , in Ruoqiang county in Xinjiang, China, without citing any specimen. However, we have been unable to trace any specimen referable to this variety (or A. brevis ) from this county in the major relevant Chinese herbaria, including HNWP, NWTC, PE, WUK, and XJBI. Further research and filed work are needed to verify the distribution of this species in Ruoqiang.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Holotype sheet of Artemisia brevis (= A. argyrophylla var. brevis). Inset a: lower portion of stem, glabrescent; inset b: portion of synflorescence, showing arachnoid-pubescent stem, sparsely pubescent or glabrescent leaves and abaxially sparsely pubescent or glabrescent phyllaries.

FIGURE 3. Lectotype sheet of Artemisia rupestris. Inset: portion of synflorescence, showing arachnoid-pubescent stem, sparsely pubescent leaves and abaxially sparsely pubescent phyllaries.

FIGURE 4. Specimens from Bogda Shan in Xinjiang, China, the type locality of Artemisia brevis (= A. argyrophylla var.brevis), correctly identified as A. rupestris. Inset a: portions of stem and leaves, glabrescent; inset b: portion of synflorescence, showing arachnoid-pubescent stem and abaxially sparsely pubescent or glabrescent phyllaries.

FIGURE 5. Specimens of Artemisia rupestris from Xinjiang, China.A. Sino-Russian Altai Exped. SRAE2007654 (PE) from Fuhai county. B. C. Ren & L. Wang 846 (IBSC) from Huocheng county. C. R.C. Ching 1142 (PE) from Qinghe county. D. Northwest Inst. Bot. Xinjiang Exped. 1156 (WUK) from Taxkorgan county.

FIGURE 6. Artemisia rupestris in the wild (China, Xinjiang, Huocheng). A. Habitat and habit. B. Basal stem leaves. C. Synflorescence. Photographed by Long Wang.

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Artemisia rupestris in Xinjiang, China (●).