Chenopodium ficifolium Sm., Fl. Brit. 1: 276 (1800)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 19-21

3. Chenopodium ficifolium Sm., Fl. Brit. 1: 276 (1800)

Lectotype

( Al-Turki and Ghafoor 1996): figure 16 in Curtis, Fl. Londinensis 1, fasc. 2 (1778).

Taxonomic notes.

The species is described from Britain: "In fimetis et ruderatis [growing on wasteland and dungheaps] about London, W. Curtis " ( Smith 1800). The material cited in the protologue by Smith (1800) is probably lost. The specimen col lected in England [Yarmouth, Sep 1801, Mr. D. Turner] and kept at LINN-HS (sheet 459.24) is not a part of the original material used for the description. Citing the “type”, Al-Turki and Ghafoor (1996) refer to the drawing of Curtis (1778, fig. 16), but Curtis did not describe any Chenopodium in his work and erroneously labelled his fig. 16 as " Chenopodium viride ", although the image of the plant completely corresponds with Chenopodium ficifolium later described by Smith (1800). Citing the type of Chenopodium ficifolium , Al-Turki and Ghafoor (1996) have unintentionally lectotypified the species with the drawing in Curtis (1778). The chosen lectotype shows the plant with clearly trilobate leaves with prominent and elongated middle lobe ( Chenopodium ficifolium subsp. ficifolium : Uotila 1997, 2001).

Description.

Annual up to 60(80) cm, loosely branched, stem green but often with red stripes. Leaves bright green, long-petiolate, 2-7 × 1-3 cm, three-lobed; apical lobe 2-4 times longer than lateral lobes; lateral lobes in the lower part of leaf short, entire or sinuate; apical lobe long, narrow with ± parallel margins, entire or irregularly sinuate-dentate. Inflorescence leafy in the lower and middle parts, short (up to 15 cm). Perianth green, enclosing the fruit; dorsal segments slightly carinate. Fruit 1.2-1.5 mm in diameter, pericarp separating from the seed, papillate (honeycomb-like when dry). Seed marginally rounded or slightly keeled; testa longitudinally striate (Fig. 4G, H ), slightly sinuate in cross-section.

Habitat.

Disturbed places, river-sides, sands; 0-2200(3000) m a.s.l. Common at least in many parts of Nepal and Bhutan. Numerous seedlings were observed by AS near Mussoorie (Uttarakhand, India) in mid-February 2018.

Phenology.

Flowering: February-May; fruiting: April-June. At higher altitudes (where the plant is rare), the blooming and fruiting times appear to be much later.

Distribution.

See Fig. 6 .

Specimens examined.

BHUTAN: Torsa valley, Jan 1912, anonym s.n. (E00168226); Samchi Distr., Samchi [Samtse], 500 m a.s.l., 27 Feb 1982, A. Grierson & D. Long 3267 (E00168235, K); Tongsa Distr., Pertimi, 1300 m a.s.l., 5 Apr 1982, A. Grierson & D. Long 4336 (K); Punakha Distr., Toiberong Chu, 1310 m a.s.l., 21 Apr 1982, A. Grierson & D. Long 4584 (E, K); Punakha Distr., Wangdi [Wangdue] Phodrang, 1200 m a.s.l., 12 Mar 1991, C. Parker 4873 (E);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: Srinagar, [year] 1856, Schlagintweit 4286 (G); Ladakh, Zanskar Region, Zara, Sangtha vill., 4420-4430 m a.s.l., 31 Aug 2001, L. Klimeš 1454 (PRA); Ladakh, Shyok Region, Hodtong, 3280-3320 m a.s.l., 26 Sep 2004, L. Klimeš 5063 (PRA); Ladakh, Dras Region, Matayan to Pindras, 3220 m a.s.l., 15 Aug 2005, L. Klimeš 5747 (PRA); Sikkim: 4000 ft a.s.l., 28 May 1874, anonym 158 (K, LE); Uttarakhand: Dehradun, Niranjanpur, 700 m a.s.l., 25 May 1962, N.P. Singh 19649 (BSD); Dehradun, 600 m a.s.l., 26 Mar 1964, N.P. Singh 31695 (BSD); Dehradun city (Bot. Garden) and nr Mussoorie, obs. by AS in Feb 2018;

NEPAL: Western: Gandaki Zone: [Kaski Distr.] Burungdi Khola, 5000 ft a.s.l., 20 May 1954, J. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 5344 (BM); Midwestern: Rapti Zone: [Salyan Distr.] Lawamjula, 3000 ft a.s.l., 28 Mar 1952, O. Polunin, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 686 (BM, LE); Central: Bagmati Zone: Kathmandu, 5000-7000 ft a.s.l., 4-8 Feb 1857, anonym 13090 (BM); Kathmandu, 4500 ft a.s.l., 17 May 1969, L.H.J. Williams 38 (BM); Kathmandu Distr., Kathmandu, N bank of Bagmati river, Thapathali, 1300 m a.s.l., 20 Apr 1992, D.G. Long & S.E. McDermott 21909 (E); Janakpur Zone: [Dolakha Distr.] Namdu, Apr 1995, Bhandari s.n. (KATH); Narayani Zone: Chitwan [Distr.], 4 Mar 2008, A. Sukhorukov s.n. (MW); [Bhaktapur Distr.] Nagarkot to Bhaktapur, 1700 m a.s.l., 19 Mar 2012, A. Sukhorukov s.n. (MW); Eastern: Mechi Zone: [Jhapa Distr.] Bhadrapur, 1987, anonym s.n. (KATH).

General distribution.

Widespread in the tropical submountainous territories of SE Asia (e.g. China, Myanmar), where it may be native. Rarely found in the temperate climates of Eurasia and America.

Figures

Figure 4. SEM micrographs of Chenopodium fruits and seeds. A, B seed of C. album C C. pamiricum, fruit with red seed D C. pamiricum, fruit with brown seed E, F C. pamiricum, red seed G, H seed of C. ficifolium. Magnification: 50 x (A, E, G), 100 x (C, D); 200 x (B, F, H).

Figure 6. Distribution map of Chenopodium ficifolium.