Chenopodium luteorubrum Mandák & Lomon., 2018

Mandák, Bohumil, Lomonosova, Maria N. & Mosyakin, Sergei L., 2018, Chenopodium luteorubrum (Chenopodiaceae / Amaranthaceae sensu APG): a remarkable new species from the Russian Far East, Phytotaxa 382 (1), pp. 102-112 : 104-106

Chenopodium luteorubrum Mandák & Lomon. , spec. nov. ( Figs. 2 , and 3A).

Type:― RUSSIA. Primorsky Krai: Khasansky district,Gamov Peninsula, Vityaz Bay, on fine-grained deposits along the coast, 42°35’47.02’’ N, 131°10’40.75’’ E, 7 October 2017, M. N. Lomonosova 1409a (holotype: NS!, isotypes: BM!, H!, LE!, MHA!, MW!, NS!, PR!, PRA!, VLA!). [In Russian: РоссиЯ. Приморский край, Хасанский район, полуостров Гамова, Залив „ВитЯЗь“, на мелкоЗеме вдоль побережьЯ, 7 X 2018, М.Н. ЛОМОнОсОва 1409а]

Description:― Annuals (15–) 20–70 (–130) cm. Stem erect, subangular, striped with red or green, with purple spots in the axils; variously branched from the middle or basal part. Branches usually long, horizontally spreading or ascending, suberect in the upper part. Leaves with petioles often as long as blades; leaf blades thin, yellowish, often becoming red in their upper parts or along margins; glabrous on ventral side, sparsely farinose on dorsal side, or sparsely farinose on both sides. Leaf blades of lower and middle cauline leaves trullate or rhombic in outline, distinctly longer than broad, 2–5(–7) cm long, (0.7–) 1.5–3.5 cm wide; base cuneate, margin usually unevenly or irregularly dentate to serrate, with a few teeth at base, sometimes with 1–2 small basal lobes or enlarged teeth, apex acute to obtuse. Upper leaves elongate; apex acute to acuminate; margin with a few teeth or subentire. Inflorescences spiciform, terminal, usually leafy to the middle; partial branches spike-like, usually with tubular (sausage-shaped) hairs; glomerules closely set in short (occasionally elongated) spikes. Flowers bisexual, or bisexual and occasionally pistillate. Perianth segments 5, free almost to the base, sparsely farinose, not covering the fruit at maturity, weakly keeled and normally hooded with wide membranous margins, usually becoming red at least on the top at fruiting-stage maturity; tepals ovate, star-like opened at fruiting stage. Stigmas 0.8–1 mm. Utricle falling without perianth; pericarp thin, easily detached. Seeds horizontal, uniform or sometimes dimorphic; most seeds black, lenticular, with hard, glossy testa, ovate or almost orbicular in outline (length/width ratio 1.05–1.15), 1.0– 1.3 mm in diameter, edge slightly keeled; other seeds discshaped, brown, with thin testa and visible embryo.

Etymology:―The species epithet refers to the peculiar yellowish and red colour of living plants at the end of the growing season.

Chromosome number:―Hexaploid with 2 n = 6 x = 54 ( Mandák et al. 2018).

Distribution, habitat:― Chenopodium luteorubrum is known at present from the southern parts of Primorsky Krai (the Russian Far East) along the coast of the Sea of Japan, where it occurs in loose soil, close to the shore, at the foot of slopes or on cliffs, and always exposed to spray ( Fig. 4 ). Very rarely it grows as a weed away from the sea coast on gravel delivered from anywhere, for road construction.

Phenology:―Flowering and fruiting time August–October.

Additional material examined (paratypes):― RUSSIA. Primorsky Krai, Nakhodka city district, vicinity of Avangard village, Priboinaya Bay , on the fine-grained deposits at the base of rocky outcrops along the coast, 42°53’15.9” N, 132°43’20.5” E, 20 September 2015, Lomonosova & Gorbunova 1235, 1236c ( PRA!, NS!) ; Russia, Primorsky Krai, Nakhodka city district, Avangard village , Marine Biological Station of IMB FEB RAS [Institute of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences], on the coastal cliffs, 42°53’36.1” N, 132°44’02.6” E, 19.09.2015, Lomonosova & Gorbunova 1223 ( PRA!, NS!) ; Russia, Primorsky Krai, Khasansky district, vicinity of Andreevka village , Risovaya Pad’ , Marine Biological Station of PIBOC [Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry], roadside along the seacoast, 42°37’29.22” N, 131°07’50.92” E, 11 September 2016, Lomonosova & Korolyuk 1360 ( NS!) ; Russia, Khasansky district, Barabash village , visitor centre of the National Park “Land of the Leopard”, on gravel, 43°10ʹ48.44ʺ N, 131°29ʹ14.53ʺ E, 9 October 2017, Lomonosova 1420 ( NS!) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Holotype of Chenopodium luteorubrum (NS!).

FIGURE 4. Habitat of Chenopodium luteorubrum on the shores of the Sea of Japan, Southern Primorsky Krai (the Russian Far East). Photo by M. Lomonosova.