Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum Chang (1934: 159)

Chi, Xiao-Rui & Wang, Long, 2022, Reinstatement of the independent specific status of Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), Phytotaxa 571 (2), pp. 227-233 : 228

Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum Chang (1934: 159) . Figs. 1−3 .

Type:— CHINA. Sichuan: Songpan , ca. 4260 m a.s.l., September 1904, E. H. Wilson 3858a (holotype K!; isotype A!) .

Perennial herbs, 6−17 cm tall. Rhizomes prostrate, short, with terminal rosette leaves. Stems decumbent, rarely erect, rarely branched, whitish or sometimes purplish tomentose. Basal leaves shortly petiolate; petiole up to 2 cm long; leaf blade flabelliform or broadly ovate, fleshy, 10−16(−25) mm long, 10−15(−25) mm wide, adaxially glabrescent to slightly pilose, dark green, abaxially slightly araneose, green, 2 (or 3)-palmatisect; ultimate segment linear to broadly linear, ca. 1 mm wide. Cauline leaves numerous, similar to basal leaves but smaller. Proximal and median cauline leaves longer than internodes, 2 (or 3)-palmatisect. Distal cauline leaves 1 (or 2)-palmatisect or rarely pinnatisect. Capitula solitary, very rarely up to 4, terminal, usually erect, 2−2.5(−3.2) cm in diam. Involucres hemispheric, 5−7 mm high, 1.2−1.6 cm in diam., abaxially subglabrous to slightly araneose on lower parts; phyllaries 18−23, in 3 or 4 rows; outer ones lanceolate, 4−5 mm long, 0.5−1 mm wide; median and inner ones ovate-oblong, 6.5−8 mm long, 2.5−4 mm wide, marginally broadly brown membranous. Ray florets 12−18, creamy yellow; lamina broadly elliptic, 1−1.4 cm long, 4−6 mm wide, tube 1−3 mm long, apically slightly 3-denticulate. Disk florets numerous, yellow, 5 mm long; tube 1−2 mm long; corolla ca. 1.5 mm long; style 2−2.5 mm long. Achenes obovoid, ca. 1 mm long (immature). Pappus absent.

Distribution and habitat: —This species is currently known only from Kangding and Songpan, Sichuan, China ( Fig. 3 ). It inhabits alpine rocky meadows at elevations between 3629 and 4270 m above sea level.

Phenology: —Flowering from August to early September; fruiting from late September to October.

Notes: — The precise localization of the type locality of Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum is worthy of a note. From rather incomplete field records given on the label of the type material, it can be only known that they were collected by Ernest H. Wilson in September 1904 from the alpine region with an elevation of 14000 ft in western China. Based on this, after consulting the itinerary of Ernest H. Wilson, it was inferred that the type locality of Chrysanthemum neooreastrum should be most likely situated nearby Dongrergo (Hsioeh-pao-ting, now known as Xuebaoding), the main peak of the Minshan Range, Songpan, Sichuan, China.

The taxonomic confusion involving Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum and C. hypargyreum owes partly to the poor understanding of some key morphological characters. This is well reflected in various descriptions of, among other characters, the colour of ray lamina of C. hypargyreum . Diels (1905) did not describe the character in the protologue of this species, nor did Ling & Shih (1980) when they synonymized both C. neo-oreastrum and C. licentianum Wu in Handel-Mazzetti (1934: 237) with Dendranthema hypargyreum (= C. hypargyreum ). The first report of its colour of ray lamina, given by Shih (1983) as yellow, came nearly seven decades after the publication of this species. Later authors recorded the colour, however, as white ( Cui 1985, Zhang & Dai 2014), yellow ( Shi et al. 2011) or even white to yellow ( Chen et al. 2012). According to our field observations, C. hypargyreum has white ray lamina, while C. neo-oreastrum has creamy yellow ray lamina. The conflicting records of different authors obviously resulted from imperfect comprehension of the two species.

The geographical range of Chrysanthemum hypargyreum also needs to be clarified. It has been originally recorded to occur merely in Shaanxi, China by Diels (1905), Kitamura (1937), and Hu (1966). Ling & Shih (1980) expanded its distributional range to include Kangding in Sichuan, and this species was subsequently generally recorded to occur in Shaanxi and Sichuan by later authors ( Shih 1983, Cui 1985, Shih et al. 2011, Chen et al. 2012, Zhang & Dai 2014). A survey of herbarium specimens has resulted in the discovery of a specimen at PE, C.S. Liu 1517, collected from Kangding that was identified as C. hypargyreum on the determination slip in Shih’s hand. The record of the occurrence of this species in Sichuan by Ling & Shih (1980) is highly probably based on this sheet. However, a critical examination of this sheet has revealed that it matches perfectly with C. neo-oreastrum , as identified on another determination slip by Yong Ling. Chrysanthemum hypargyreum is therefore currently known only from Shaanxi.

Additional specimens examined: — CHINA. Sichuan: Kangding , C. S. Liu 1517 ( PE, SZ), W . B. Ju & C. C. Zheng THP-KD-6557 ( CDBI); Songpan, H . Smith 3418 ( GH, W), L . Wang et al. 4145 ( IBSC), E. H . Wilson 3858 ( IBSC, K – paratype) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Type specimens of Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum (A, B) and C. hypargyreum (C, D). A. China, Sichuan, Songpan, E.H. Wilson 3858a (holotype: K). B. Same locality, E.H. Wilson 3858a (isotype:A). C. China, Shaanxi, Baoji, J. Giraldi 2903 (syntype: FI). D. China, Shaanxi, Meixian, J. Giraldi 2902 (syntype: FI).

FIGURE 2. Chrysanthemum neo-oreastrum in the wild (Songpan, Sichuan, China). A. Habitat and habit. B. Portion of stem. C. Leaves (adaxial surface; inset shows abaxial slightly araneose leaf blade). D. Capitulum (top view). E. Capitulum (side view). F. Capitulum (back view). G. Phyllaries (abaxial surface). H. Ray florets. I. Tubular florets. All photographs by L. Wang.

FIGURE 3. Chrysanthemum hypargyreum in the wild (Meixian, Shaanxi, China). A. Habitat and habit. B. Portion of stem. C. Leaves (adaxial surface; inset shows abaxial densely argenteous-sericeous leaf blade). D. Capitulum (top view). E. Capitulum (side view). F. Capitulum (back view). G. Phyllaries (abaxial surface). H. Ray florets. I. Tubular florets.All photographs by L. Wang.