Taraxacum salutator 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 : 114-115

5. Taraxacum salutator Štěpánek & Kirschner , sp. nov.

Type:— Bulgaria borealis, montes Stara planina, opp. Trojan , pars montium Trojanska planina, deversiolum alpinum Kozja Stena , in pascuis in decl. ± meridionalis montis ca. 1.5 km situ occidentali a monte Kozja stena (1670 m), 1500–1600 m, ca. 42° 47’ N, ca. 24° 32’ E, 21 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, R. Bělohlávková, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as JŠ 7551, collected in 2001 ( PRA, no. det. 35750, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 26062, and duplicates) .

Etymology:—Greeter, one who pays formal morning call as a client (from Latin, saluto, salutare, to greet).

Exsiccates:— Taraxaca Exs., no. 1312–1315.

Diagnosis:—Plantae foliorum forma T. pulchrifolium satis aemulantes, involucro subpruinoso, phyllariis exterioribus numerosis, irregulariter erectis, erecto-patentibus vel patentibus, pagina abaxiali aequabiliter obscure olivaceo-viridi, in sicco atroviridi, in marginem scariosam 0.1–0.3 mm latam glabrescentem abrupte transeunte, acheniis pallide brunnescentibus vel pallide stramineobrunneis, corpore superne dense spinuloso, in pyramidem subconicam vel subcylindricam, 0.8–1.2 mm longam sensim abeunte bene dignoscenda.

Plants medium-sized, 10–14 cm tall. Plant base without tunic, with sparse brownish hairs among petiole bases. Petiole narrowly winged to winged, bright purple, at least on the mid-vein, 2–3 cm long. Leaves variously erect-patent to ± patent, mid-green, sometimes slightly greyish green, not spotted, interlobes blotched, outer leaves ± glabrous, inner leaves sparsely arachnoid, narrowly elliptical to oblanceolate in outline, usually 7–12 × 1.7–4 cm, pinnatisect, ± resembling the leaf shape of T. pulchrifolium Markl. ; terminal segment relatively small, broadly triangular to triangular or ± rhombic, usually 0.8–1.5 × 1.2–2.5 cm, ± acute, often mucronate, distal margin subconcave, subsigmoid or ± straight, entire, basal lobules patent to subrecurved, proximal margin ± straight to subconvex, entire; lateral segments in 4–5 (6) pairs, deltoid-triangular to narrowly triangular, often also bird-wing-like with distal part narrowed and elongated, ± patent to subrecurved, distal margin convex or sigmoid, entire, proximal margin ± straight, entire or with a single broad basal tooth; interlobes usually 3–10 × 3–5 mm, either green or distinctly blotched brown-purple (visible on both surfaces), margin usually raised, entire or with several unequal teeth; mid-vein light or deep purple or brownpurple. Scapes pale green, purplish at base, subsparsely arachnoid, equalling to ± overtopping leaves. Capitulum deep golden yellow, 3.5–4 cm wide, flat to subconvex. Involucre, slightly pruinose, rounded to broadly obconical and 7–9 mm wide at base. Outer phyllaries numerous, 15–20, not imbricate, variously erect, erect-patent to patent, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, relatively long, reaching 1/2–2/3 of the inner ones, usually 7–9 × 2.5–3.5 mm, adaxially light greyish green, often suffused purplish, abaxially evenly coloured medium deep to dark olivaceous-green (black-green when dry), with an abrupt transition in a whitish-membranous border 0.1–0.3 mm wide, margin ± glabrous, apex flat; inner phyllaries ca. 13 mm long, usually of unequal width. Outer ligules flat, striped greyish olivaceous outside, apical teeth black, inner ligules canaliculate, their apical teeth grey to greenish. Stigmas discoloured, grey-green, hairs of pubescence with distal half blackish. Pollen present, pollen grains irregular in size. Achenes light brown to light stramineous-brown, 4.2–4.8 × 0.9–1.3 mm, body with distinct lateral and dorsiventral longitudinal ridges, ± densely covered with erect spinules with a broad base, or with thinner, erect-patent spinules in upper 1/4–1/3, body ± gradually narrowing into a subconical to ± cylindrical cone (0.8–) 0.9–1.1 (–1.2) mm long; beak 6.5–8 mm long, pappus dirty white or whitish, 5.5–6.5 mm long. – Agamosperm. – Fig. 65B , 68 , 69 .

Diagnostic notes:— Taraxacum salutator exhibits a certain variation in the leaf shape, coloration, spinulosity and shape of achenes, and the outer phyllary width, and the width of the phyllary border, which may indicate a multiclonality of this species. In the leaf shape, it may be compared with T. puchrifolium Marklund ex Lindberg (1935: 21) of T. sect. Taraxacum . The closest species is T. tetricum but there is a clear difference in the leaf shape with longer lateral segments, in broader and more distinct border to outer phyllaries, and in the achene coloration, spinulosity and longitudinal sculpture.

Distribution and habitat:—It is a relatively widespread species, up to now documented from the Vitosha, the Stara Planina, Rila, Pirin and Rhodopes in Bulgaria, from elevations between 1500 and 2500 m. It grows in subalpine meadows and pastures, sometimes it descends to sites along tracks in the montane belt. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as LC.

Note:—The Rila specimens of T. salutator are slightly but consistently different from the other plants, and may represent a multiclonality of this species.

Specimens examined:— BULGARIA. Pirin, Bansko, valley of Banderica, below the pass of Vichrenski preslap between Mt. Chvojnati vrch and Mt. Vichren, ca. 2450–2550 m, 41° 45–46’ N, 23° 24–25’ E, 9 Aug 1997, J. Štěpánek, J. Kirschner & B. Trávníček, cultivated as JŠ 6298/C (PRA, no. det. 26061). – Rodopi, Čepelare, the Černatica Mts., Chvojna village, Mt. Goljam Persenk (2091 m), along the tourist path ca. 3 km W. of Skalni Mostove, ca. 1900–1950 m, 24 Jul 1998, R. Bělohlávková, J. Štěpánek, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as TaB 18 (B 18) (PRA, no. det. 26078); Ibidem, TaB 20 (B 20) (PRA, no. det. 26079). – Čepelare, the Prespa Mts., village of Manastir, slopes of Mt. Prespa, 1700–1800 m, 25 Jul 1998, R. Bělohlávková, cultivated as Ro 11 (PRA, no. det. 25406); Ibidem, TaB 29 (B 29) (PRA, no. det. 26080). – Vitosha, village of Dragalevci, around the alpine shelter Alpicum on the summit of Černi vrch, 2280-2290 m, ca. 42° 34’ N, ca. 23° 18’ E, 27 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 6894 (PRA, no. det. 26075). – Vitoša, slopes SW. of the Aleko Chalet, ca. 1800 m, 3 Jun 1988, J. Kirschner, cultivated as JŠ 2956 (PRA, no. det. 26083); Ibidem, JŠ 2956 (PRA, no. det. 26082). – Rila, The Rila, in the pass below Mt. Kobylina braništa (Kobylino branišče), 2000–2200 m, 17 Aug 1982, H. Barešová, cultivated as JŠ 2770 (PRA, no. det. 26077); Ibidem, JŠ 1004 (PRA, no. det. 26076). – Stara Planina, Zlatiško-Tetevenska planina, Teteven, village of Ribarica, Mt. Vežen (2198 m), a ridge between Mt. Kamenica and the pass of Ribariški Prohod, ca. 1800–1950 m, ca. 42° 45’ N, ca. 24° 26–27’ E, 20 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, R. Bělohlávková, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as JŠ 7585 (PRA, no. det. 26063). – Trojan, the Trojanska Planina, ca 1.5 km W. of the alpine chalet of Kozja Stena, 1500–1600 m, ca. 42° 47’ N, ca. 24° 32’ E, 21 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, R. Bělohlávková, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as JŠ 7549 (PRA, no. det. 26064); Ibidem, JŠ 7551 (PRA, no. det. 26062). – Zlatiško-Tetevenska planina, Teteven, village of Ribarica, Mt. Vežen (2198 m), a saddle between Mt. Jumruka and Mt. Kavladan, ca. 300 m NE. of the Echo Hut, ca. 1600 m, ca. 42° 46’ N, ca. 24° 28’ E, 21 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, R. Bělohlávková, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as JŠ 7561 (PRA, no. det. 26074); Ibidem, JŠ 7560 (PRA, no. det. 26073); Ibidem, JŠ 7557 (PRA, no. det. 26081). – Trojanska planina, Trojan, NW. slopes of Mt. Baljova planina, ca. 2 km E. of Mt. Kozja stena (1670 m), granite, 42° 47’ N, ca. 24° 34’ E, 1550–1600 m, 21 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, R. Bělohlávková, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as JŠ 7555 (PRA, no. det. 26072).

Figures

FIGURE 65. Achenes of Bulgarian members of Taraxacum sect. Rhodocarpa. A, T. tetricum (PRA, no. det. 35788, holotype); B, T. salutator (PRA, no. det. 26062, isotype); C, T. radmilae (PRA, no. det. 25406, isotype). Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 68. Taraxacum salutator (PRA, no. det. 35750, holotype). Photo M. Hladík.

FIGURE 69. Taraxacum salutator. General habit (PRA, no. det. 26078). Scale bar = 2 cm.