Allium formosum Sennikov & Lazkov (Allium sect. Spathulata F.O.Khass. & R.M.Fritsch), 2013

Sennikov, Alexander N. & Lazkov, Georgy A., 2013, Allium formosum Sennikov & Lazkov (Amaryllidaceae), a new species from Kyrgyzstan, PhytoKeys 21, pp. 29-36 : 31-32

Allium formosum Sennikov & Lazkov (Allium sect. Spathulata F.O.Khass. & R.M.Fritsch) sp. nov. Fig. 1

Latin

Ab Allio spathulato statura majore (caulibus ad 30 cm, nec ad 20 cm altis), spathulis brevioribus paucioribus, floribus pluris (ad 30, nec ad 20), tepalis obscuriore roseolo-purpureis, longioribus (6-7.5 mm, nec 4-5.5 mm longis) latioribusque (2-2.5 mm, nec 2 mm latis), apice obtusioribus (nec acutis) basi subrotundis (nec distincte angustatis) differt.

Type.

Kyrgyzstan. Babash-Ata Range: Kara-Köl River valley, left riverside, alt. 1650 m, 41.53°N, 72.68°E, 14.07.2010, A. Sennikov & G. Lazkov 132 (H 1750496, holotype; isotypes FRU, H 1750497).

Description.

Bulbs subglobose, 7-8 mm in diameter, ca. 8 mm long, inner tunices slightly violaceous, very thin, transparent, papyraceous, with several longitudinal nerves, outer ones light-grey, decomposing. Bulblets missing. Scape single, 20-25 (30) cm long, up to 1.5 mm in diameter, solid, dark green with a slight purple tint at the base. Leaves 2(3), linear, not exceeding the stems, upright, with the blade up to 20 cm long, ca. 1.5 mm wide, round-appressed and fistulose in the section, dark green, glabrous, with sheaths up to 10 cm long. Spathe membranous, completely divided into two elongate valves 4-6 mm long, reflexed. Inflorescence hemisphaerical, rather lax, with 7-30 developed flowers and ca. 5 abortive buds; pedicels thin, basally thickened, straight, dark-green, of the same length, ca. 1.5 cm long, some of them being embraced in narrow spathules ca. 1 mm long. Perianth cupuliform, intensively pinkish-purpureous in the upper two thirds, basally whitish, with dark-purpureous median veins. Tepals 6-7.5 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, oblong, obtuse at the apex, subrotund and only very slightly narrowed to the base. Filaments shorter than tepals, 2.5-3 mm long, white, connected and fused with sepals at the base, outer ones with the triangular base, inner ones broader, tricuspidate. Anthers ca. 0.4 mm long, yellow. Ovary ca. 2 mm long, 2-2.5 mm in diameter, subglobular. Style slightly over 1 mm long, white. Capsule and seeds not known.

Phenology.

Flowering in July, fruiting unknown.

Ecology.

The species occurs in the low-altitude forest zone (altitudes of ca. 1600-1700 m) in river valleys, on open sunny slopes with sparse savannoid vegetation, sheltered by stones. The plants grow clustered in small patches, suggesting the most successful establishment nearby mature plants (vegetative reproduction is not known in this section).

Distribution.

Possibly a narrow endemic of Babash-Ata Mt. Range, Kyrgyzstan ( Fig. 3 ), so far known from the type locality only.

Proposed conservation status.

The distribution area of this species is like those of other local endemics of the mountains east of Fergana Valley. A single locality is known, where ca. 10 clusters of flowering plants were noticed. Even though no imme diate threat was observed, the area is in active use, first of all for grazing and mining. For this reason and because of the very limited distribution area and a small size of the only population known to date (criterium D: population size estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals), this taxon may be recommended for protection as Endangered ( IUCN 2001).

Etymology.

The new species is named because of its elegant habit and beautiful colouration of the perianth, transitional between deeply pink and purple; Lat. formosum = beautiful.

Figures

Figure 1. Allium formosum. A habit. B inner side of the perianth with stamina. C flower. D basal part of the umbella. Drawn from the type (H 1750496).

Figure 3. Distribution areas of Allium formosum and Allium spathulatum.