Corispermum hyssopifolium, Linnaeus, 1753

Mosyakin, Sergei L. & Spencer, Mark A., 2017, Typification of the Linnaean name Corispermum squarrosum, with notes on C. hyssopifolium and nomenclatural implications for Agriophyllum (Chenopodiaceae: Corispermeae), Phytotaxa 329 (3), pp. 212-222 : 213-215

Corispermum hyssopifolium : remaining problems with the identity of original specimens

The name Corispermum hyssopifolium has been misapplied to most of the species of the genus described in the 18 th and 19 th centuries, as well as to many taxa described later. For example, nearly all identifications of North American specimens as “ C. hyssopifolium ” (summarized in Maihle & Blackwell 1978) have been rejected (see Mosyakin 1995, 2003). However, the correct application of the species name remains uncertain until now (see discussion below).

Linnaeus (1753: 4) indicated for Corispermum hyssopifolium the following provenance: “ Habitat ad Volgam Tartariae, Gillau 1 Borussiae, Monspelii arenosis ”. Plants from Prussia (“… Gillau Borussiae…”) may belong to C. intermedium Schweigger (1812: 211) , plants from France (…Monspelii arenosis …) are most probably referable to C. gallicum Iljin (1929: 640) , and specimens from the Volga area could probably be C. marschallii Steven (1814: 336) and/or the species with narrow-winged fruits now usually accepted as C. hyssopifolium sensu stricto. It should be noted that Linnaeus took the name of his species from Antoine (not Antoine Laurent!) de Jussieu (1712), who reported that newly discovered plant from Languedoc (Agde and Montpellier), southern France; judging from the description and illustration ( Jussieu 1712: 185–186 and Tab. 10), most probably it was the species later described as C. gallicum .

Corispermum hyssopifolium was lectotypified by Hedge (in Jarvis et al. 1993: 37) on the specimen LINN 12.1 (image available from: http://linnean-online.org/53/). An earlier lectotypification by Maihle & Blackwell (1978: 385) is ineffective, as explained by Jarvis (2004): “Maihle & Blackwell (in Sida 7: 385. 1978) stated “(Phototype: Linnaean herbarium, IDC No. 12!)” but as this does not distinguish between sheets 12.1 and 12.2 (LINN), it is not an effective choice. As the two sheets do not appear to be part of a single gathering, Art. 9.15 does not apply”. The two sheets identified as C. hyssopifolium in the Linnaean herbarium (LINN 12.1, and LINN 12.2) bear two plant fragments each. In our opinion, these four fragments represent at least two (possibly three or four?) different species.

The real identity and geographic origin of the two fragments on the sheet LINN 12.1 (lectotype of Corispermum hyssopifolium ) still remain problematic. In the opinion of the first author (based on high-resolution photographs of these plants and their fruits provided by the second author), it is possible that one or both fragments in fact belong to taxa now called either C. intermedium or/and C. gallicum . If so, they were collected in the Baltic area and/or France. At least one plant fragment of LINN 12.1 has mature narrow-winged fruits with diverging stylodia ( Fig. 1 ), similar to those sometimes observed in C. gallicum 2. As noted by Mosyakin (1988, 1997: 11) and confirmed by Sukhorukov (2007, 2014), C. intermedium and C. gallicum are closely related but distinct species; they both have short stylodia that are straight or sometimes diverging (curved outward); the perianth is absent or represented by one rudimentary (barely visible) segment. If any of these identifications is confirmed, the application of the name C. hyssopifolium will need to be changed. Sukhorukov (2014) also commented that the type of C. hyssopifolium is represented by not quite typical narrow-leaved plants, with perianth segments that are not always evident (in Russian: “Не вполне типичные растениЯ с УЗкими (до 1.5 мм) листЬЯми, околоцветник не веЗде просматриваетсЯ”: Sukhorukov 2014: 288). Absence or considerable reduction of perianth segments is peculiar to C. gallicum and C. intermedium (see Iljin 1929, 1936, Mosyakin 1996, Sukhorukov 2007, 2014 etc.).

1 Most probably a misspelling of Pillau [Polish: Piława; Lithuanian: Piliava; now called Baltiysk, in Kaliningrad (Königsberg) Oblast (historically East Prussia) of Russia] located on the Baltic seashore where Corispermum intermedium definitely occurs. However, a village of Gillau (now Giławy near Olsztyn in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship of Poland) also existed, but it is located further inland and in the Linnaean times it was part of the Kingdom of Poland.

2 It should be noted that another species with diverging stylodia but with rather broadly winged fruits was described from southern Europe ( Italy) as Corispermum bracteatum Viviani (1829: 200 ; see also Sukhorukov 2014: 280). This taxon remains enigmatic although by some authorities it is treated as a synonym of C. marschallii .

The right-hand (larger) plant fragment on the sheet LINN 12.2 (image and metadata available from http://linnean-online.org/54/) evidently belongs to the species now called Corispermum marschallii , having characteristically broadwinged fruits with the wing notched at the top, and stylodia turned inward ( Fig. 2 ). Most probably it was collected in the Volga area (“ Habitat ad Volgam Tartariae…”). The second (left-hand) smaller plant fragment on the same sheet is morphologically different; it may indeed represent what is now believed to be C. hyssopifolium sensu stricto. This sheet does not bear a relevant Species Plantarum number (see Jarvis 2007) and does not appear to be original material for C. hyssopifolium . However, a pencil note by J.E. Smith indicate that it “was pinned to hyssopifolium * HL fil.” [indicating the specimen to the left hand side?—see metadata of LINN 12.2: http://linnean-online.org/54/].

Further detailed micromorphological studies of the specimens LINN 12.1 and LINN 12.2 are needed, especially studies of the fruits which are highly diagnostic in Corispermum (see Iljin 1929; Mosyakin 1996; Sukhorukov 2007). It is probable that a subsequent (second-stage) lectotypification (Art. 19.7 of ICN) or conservation of the species name C. hyssopifolium with a conserved type (Art. 14.9 of ICN) will be required in the future to avoid nomenclatural confusion and maintain the current application of the name.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Fruits of the specimen LINN 12.1 (lectotype of Corispermum hyssopifolium L.).

FIGURE 2. Fruits of the specimen LINN 12.2 (filedas Corispermum hyssopifolium L.), right-side plant.Taxonomic identity:Corispermum marschallii Steven.