Allium tsinlingense L.L.Xun & P.L.Liu, 2022

Xun, Lu-Lu, Liu, Pei-Liang, Lu, Yuan, Zhang, Ya-Wei, Li, Si-Feng, Yue, Ming, Li, Bin & Zhou, Ya-Fu, 2022, Allium tsinlingense (Amaryllidaceae, Allioideae), a new species from Shaanxi, China, Phytotaxa 552 (1), pp. 91-98 : 94-96

Allium tsinlingense L.L.Xun & P.L.Liu , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2–3 ).

Type: — CHINA. Shaanxi Province: Zhouzhi County, on the open mountain slope and cliff, elev. ca. 1030 m, 33° 52′ 5.22″ N, 108° 14′ 24.43″ E, 17 Sep. 2020, L.L.Xun 01257 (Holotype XBGH!; Isotypes XBGH!, WUK!) .

Diagnosis: —It is similar to Allium maowenense in the section A. sect. Daghestanica , from which it differs by its solid leaves, its spathe persistent after flowering, its flower color varying from green, greenish to white in different stage, but never purplish, and the midvein of tepal never pale red, and its pedicels with bracteoles at base.

Description: —Bulb solitary, paired, rarely clustered, ovoid to subglobose, 1–1.7 cm in diameter; tunic pale brown, thinly leathery, sometimes subfibrous. Leaves linear, flat, or occasionally V-shaped, solid, rarely slightly hollow at base, shorter (or rarely longer) than scape, 11–26 cm long, 1.8–7 mm wide. Scape 30–58 cm, terete, covered with leaf sheaths for 1/5–2/5 of its length; spathe 2-valved, sometimes 1-valved, persistent, beak short; umbel globose, laxly to densely many flowered; pedicels equal, ca. 2.5 times as long as perianth, bracteolate. Perianth green, greenish to white; segments with greenish midvein; outer ones narrowly ovate, boat-shaped, 3.3–4.5× 1.5–1.9 mm; inner ones ovate, 3.8–5× 2–2.5 mm; filaments subulate, equal, ca. 2 times as long as perianth segments, anthers yellow; ovary green, with concave nectaries, ovules 2 per locule; style exserted, ca.1× as long as outer perianth segments; stigma punctiform. Seeds black, rhomboidal.

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

Etymology: —The specific epithet is derived from the name of the Qinling (Tsinling) Mountains, where the type specimens were collected. The Chinese vernacular name is suggested to be “ ṱ岭ṯ (Qin Ling Xie)”.

Distribution, habitat and ecology: —This new species is currently recorded only from four places along the Qinling Mountains, i.e., Hu County (now Huyi District), Zhouzhi County, Taibai County and Weibin District. It can be considered as endemic to the Qinling Mountains. This species usually grows on the sunny or slightly shady side of mountain slope and cliff at elevational range from 790 m to 1450 m.

Additional Specimens examined (Paratypes):— CHINA. Shaanxi Province: Hu County (now Huyi District), elev. ca. 1450 m, 15 September 1962, K.T.Fu 14726 (WUK!); Huyi District , on the cliff of forest edge, elev. ca. 1150 m, 33° 50′ 25″ N, 108° 30′ 40″ E, 16 August 2020, P.L.Liu 955 (XBGH!, WUK!); Weibin District , on the open mountain slope and cliff, elev. ca. 790 m, 34° 16′ 25.9″ N, 107° 1′ 13.45″ E, 31 October 2020, L.L.Xun 01409 (XBGH!); Taibai County , on the cliff of forest edge, elev. ca. 1194 m, 33° 48′ 0.89″ N, 107° 13′ 3.82″ E, 19 September 2021, L.L.Xun 01931 (XBGH!) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. The habitat and morphological characters of Allium tsinlingense. A. Habitat; B. Habit; C–D. Transverse and longitudinal sections of the scape; E. Transverse section of leaves; F–I. Solitary, paired or clustered bulbs; J–O. Inflorescences in bud, blossoming and fruiting; P. Flower and bracteole. Q–R. Tepals and stamens; S. Pistil; T. Seed.

FIGURE 3. Illustration of Allium tsinlingense. A. Habit; B. Outer bulb tunic; C. Transverse section of leaves; D. Spathe; E. Inflorescence; F. Bracteole at pedicel base; G. Flower; H. Tepals and stamens; I. Pistil. Drawn by Xiu-Zhen Wu.