Saxifraga

Horák, David, Hajman, Martin, Hroneš, Michal & Pavelka, Mojmír, 2021, A new natural hybrid in Saxifraga sect. Porphyrion Tausch (Saxifragaceae), Phytotaxa 498 (1), pp. 25-34 : 31

Saxifraga ×klimesii Hajman, Horák & Hroneš, nothosp. nov. Figs. 2C , 3F–J , Tab. 1.

( Saxifraga meeboldii Engl. & Irmsch. × S. pulvinaria Harry Sm. )

Type: — NW INDIA. Jammu and Kasmir state: Ladakh , Zanskar , Zara region , Lun village to Marang La, WGS 84: 33°12ʹN, 77°37ʹE, elevation 4650 m a. s. l., 3 Sep 1998, L . Klimeš 300 (holotype PRA) .

Diagnosis: — Saxifraga ×klimesii is intermediate in morphology between Saxifraga meeboldii and S. pulvinaria but it differs from S. meeboldii by shorter and wider rosette leaves and lighter yellow, larger and wider petals, and from S. pulvinaria it differs by larger rosettes, presence of often more than 1 pore on leaves and yellow colour of petals.

Description: —Perennial plant forming compact broadly convex to convex cushion. Stem up to 10 mm long or almost lacking, covered with glandular cilia; glands brown. Rosette leaves obovate to linear obovate, 2.5–5.5 mm long, 0.2–2.5 mm wide, margin sparsely ciliate or ciliate up to apical fifth, with 1–5 calcium-secreting pores, apex obtuse. Stem leaves similar to rosette leaves in shape but covered with glandular cilia. Flowers 1–6 per stem. Sepals erect, oblong ovate, glandular ciliate abaxially, 2.5–4 mm long, 1–2 mm wide. Petals broadly spathulate to obovate, yellow, 2–5 mm long, 1–4 mm wide, glabrous on both surfaces. Anthers usually yellow, rarely brown. Ovary subinferior; styles 3.5–6 mm long.

Etymology: —This hybrid is named in honour of the Czech botanist Leoš Klimeš who crisscrossed Ladakh for its plants between 1997 and 2007 when sadly disappeared ( Dvorský et al. 2018). He was also probably the first person who noticed and collected this hybrid.

Distribution and habitat: —So far known only from Zanskar range between Keylang and Leh towns in Indian Himalaya where it occurs among parents on calcareous rocks, approximately between 4200–4800 m. It is documented from the type locality (see above) and from the wider region NE of Baralacha La pass along the NH3 driveway from where the cultivated plants originated.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Overall habit of studied Saxifraga species. A. Sympatric growth of S. meeboldii (front), S. pulvinaria (far right) and their hybrid S. ×klimesii (far left) in Zanskar, Ladakh, NW India. B. S. meeboldii. C. S. ×klimesii. D. S. pulvinaria. Photographs by R. Roth (A) and D. Horák (B–D).

FIGURE 3. Morphology of studied Saxifraga taxa. A–B. S. meeboldii C–E. S. pulvinaria. F–J. S. ×klimesii. A, C, F, H. Overall habit. B. Rosette leaves with pores. D, G. Detail of hypanthium. E, J. Rosette leaves with pores and cilia. I. Petals. Photographs by D. Horák (A), M. Hroneš (B, F, J) and M. Hajman (C–E, G–I).