Psephellus integrifolius Koch (1851: 438)

Yousefi, Zohreh, Negaresh, Kazem & Kaya, Yusuf, 2021, A taxonomic study on Psephellus sect. Amblyopogon (Asteraceae, Cardueae- Centaureinae), Phytotaxa 494 (3), pp. 273-288 : 282-283

3. Psephellus integrifolius Koch (1851: 438) . ( Fig. 6 )

Centaurea integrifolia Meyer (1831: 64) , nom. illeg., non C. integrifolia Tausch (1828: 485) . Amblyopogon integrifolius (Koch) Boissier (1856: 66) . Centaurea meyeriana Tzvelev (1959: 418) . Amblyopogon meyerianus (Tzvelev) Karjagin (1961: 454) , nom. inval. (Art. 41.5 of the ICN, Turland et al. 2018). Amblyopogon meyerianus (Tzvelev) Soják (1962: 47) . Type:— AZERBAIJAN. In locis siccis lapidosis montium Talüsh prope pagum Swant [Zuvand], June 1830, Meyer 523 (lectotype LE01071993! designated here by Negaresh, isolectotypes LE01071994!, LE01071995!, W!).

Perennial herbs, with long rhizome, whole plant usually grayish, remains of leaf bases of the previous year present. Stems solitary or few, arising from the base of the rosette, prostrate or ascending, 8–10 cm tall, densely leafy throughout, ca. 3 mm in diam. at the base, cylindrical, with thin white striations, densely covered with appressed-cinereoustomentose hairs. Leaves coriaceous, densely covered with appressed-grayish-tomentose hairs and punctate-glands, undivided, lanceolate, 3–6 × 0.5–1 cm, denticulate at margins, acuminate at apex; rosette leaves petiolate; cauline leaves narrowed toward base. Capitula few, 1–2(–3)-cephalous, solitary on sessile peduncles; involucres ovoid, 17–20 × 13–18 mm. Phyllaries multiseriate, outer and median ones ovate, innermost lanceolate-linear, coriaceous, imbricate, greenish, glabrous. Appendages medium-sized, membranous, concealing a major part of phyllaries, straw-coloured in margins, brown in central part, triangular to lanceolate, 4–5 × 1.8–2.5 mm (excluding cilia), regularly ciliate, never with a spine; cilia straw-coloured, numerous, 12–15(–20) on each side, 1.3–1.8 mm long. Flowers pink; central florets hermaphroditic, numerous, 16–18 mm long, corolla 6–8 mm long, 5-lobed, lobes 3–4 mm long, stigma exserted from corolla up to 2 mm; peripheral florets slightly longer than central ones, not radiant, with staminodes, 4-lobed, limb lobes narrowly lanceolate. Achenes oblong, ca. 4 mm long, smooth, ± pubescent. Pappus persistent, scabrous, double, 1 / 3 – 1 / 2 as long as achenes, 1–1.5 mm long, bristles of inner pappus much wider than those of outer.

Distribution: — Psephellus integrifolius is endemic to the Caucasus and occurs in Azerbaijan ( Fig. 7 ).

Ecology: — Psephellus integrifolius grows on clayey and stony slopes, in the middle-montane zone, at elevations of 1800–2000 m ( Tzvelev 1963).

Taxonomic notes: — Psephellus integrifolius is a Mediterranean element and is the only species of the Asiatic P. sect. Amblyopogon that is found in the Mediterranean region ( Fig. 7 ). It closely resembles P. incanescens in its habit.

Selected specimens examined:— AZERBAIJAN. In aridis arenosis lapidosis prope Tatuni ditionis Swant, 1200 m, July 1836, Hohenacker s.n. ( E!, L!: four sheets, W!, WAG!) ; 15 June 1979, Menitsky 15 ( MW!) ; 25 May 1978, Mailov & Nasudav s.n. ( MW!) ; 21 June 1977, Pimenov et al. 799 ( MW!) ; distr. Zuvant , prope Kosmaljan, in Sigarafa, in lapidoso-schistosis, 17 May 1935, Grossheim & Gurvitsh s.n. ( BAK!: two sheets, MW!) ; 17 July 1931, Shipchinsky 911 ( MW!) ; distr. Zuvant , prope p. Shona-Tshola, in lapidosis, 7 June 1935, Grossheim & Gurvitsh 76 ( BAK!) ; Duadap , pz. pag. Kosmaljan, in dechliv. siccis, 20 May 1935, Grossheim s.n. ( BAK!) ; 2 May 1935, Grossheim s.n. ( BAK!: two sheets) ; distr. Zuvant , in m-te Sahar inter p.p. Kjalvaz et Tablahov, in lapidosis, 5 June 1935, Grossheim & Gurvitsh 72 ( BAK!) ; distr. Zuvant , inter p.p. Ljahakeran et Tshokjara, in lapidoso-argillosis, 25 May 1935, Grossheim & Gurvitsh s.n. ( BAK!) ; distr. Zuvant , inter p.p. Chalfa-kend et Mistan, in lapidosis, 31 May 1935, Grossheim 36 ( BAK!) ; distr. Zuvant , inter p.p. Kosmaljan et Amburdara inf., in lapidosis, 6 June 1935, Grossheim 31 ( BAK!) ; 30 May 1935, Grossheim s.n. ( BAK!) ; distr. Zuvant , supra p. Kaljaban, in lapidoso-schistosis, 24 May 1935, Grossheim s.n. ( BAK!) ; distr. Zuvant , supra p. Kaljaban, in m-te Terna-tshardon, in lapidosis, 24 May 1935, Grossheim s.n. ( BAK!) ; distr. Zuvant , prope p. Mistan, in lapidosis, 2 June 1935, Grossheim s.n. ( BAK!) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Psephellus integrifolius Koch (Meyer 523, LE).

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Psephellus integrifolius (circles) and P. karduchorum (squares).