Pseudolappula occultata (Popov) Q.R.Liu & D.H.Liu, 2021

Liu, Dan-Hui, Xu, Xue-Min, He, Yi & Liu, Quan-Ru, 2021, A new combination in Pseudolappula (Boraginaceae, Rochelieae) based on morphological, molecular and palynological evidence, PhytoKeys 187, pp. 77-92 : 77

Pseudolappula occultata (Popov) Q.R.Liu & D.H.Liu comb. nov.

Basionym.

Lappula occultata Popov (1951: 331).

Type.

Tajikistan: Sary-tau mountains . 25 June 1920, Popov 697 (TASH003719!) .

Description.

Annual herbs. Stems erect, 15-40 cm tall, frequently branched from base or above middle, with appressed or semi-appressed white hairs. Basal leaves oblong with obvious petiole, 2-3 cm long, 5-8 mm wide; cauline leaves sessile, oblong to lanceolate, 2-4 cm long, 4-9 mm wide, with spreading hairs, hairs discoid at base. Inflorescences to 10-15 cm in fruit; bracts small, narrowly ovate to linear. Pedicels erect, the lower 5-6 mm long. Calyx lobes linear, erect, 2 mm long, to 4-5 mm in fruit, enclosing the nutlets. Corolla blue, 2-3 mm long, the tube shorter than calyx; throat appendages yellow, trapeziform, ca. 0.3 mm; limb 1-1.5 mm wide, lobes ovata-rounded. Stamen 5, filaments short, pollen grains isopolar, dumbbell-shaped in equatorial view and subcircular in polar view, 3-syncolporate apertures alternating with 3 pseudocolpi, with 6 orae. Coenobium 2-3 mm in diameter, homomorphic nutlets. Style surpassing the nutlets by ca. 0.5 mm. Nutlets ovoid, shiny, ca. 2 mm long, not easily separated from gynobase; disk ovate, weakly keeled, densely with rounded granulose, margin prominent and forming a narrow smooth rim. Cicatrix linear, not obvious, adaxial keel ca. 2 mm long.

Phenology.

Flowering and fruiting from May to July.

Distribution and habitat.

China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghan, Mongolia ( Vvedensky 1961; Sharashova 1962; Goloskokov 1964; Chukavina 1984; Ovczinnikova 2005a; Ovchinnikova et al. 2017). It grows on rocky slopes at elevations of 600-2400 m ( Chukavina 1984).

Note.

The section Sinaicae (Riedl) Ovczinnikova was proposed by Ovczinnikova (2005a). This small section is comprised of 3 species, L. sinaica , L. occultata , and Lappula mogoltavica Popov ex Czukav. L. sinaica has been transferred to the new monotypic genus, and our study supports that L. occultata should also be combined into the genus Pseudolappula . Then, the systematic position of L. mogoltavica needs to be settled. The species L. mogoltavica was published by Czukavina (1983). Ovchinnikova et al. (2017) conducted a detailed study on this species and its congeneric relatives, and morphological comparisons demonstrate that the length of the adaxial keel and the shape of cicatrix are uniform in section Sinaicae . These characters suggest that the three species have a close relationship.

Additional specimens examined.

China. Xinjiang: Yining county, 29 April 1977, suzenan 613 (XJU!); Gongliu county to Tekes county , 9 August 1996, wangqi 96-047 (XJA00057876!); Nilak county , 43°41'18.28"N, 82°20'4.70"E, alt. 1287 m, 17 May 2020, Dan-Hui Liu BNU2020XJ088 (BNU!); Huocheng county , 44°18'35.61"N, 81°6'6.07"E, 21 May 2021, Dan-Hui Liu BNU2021XJ095 (BNU!) . Kazakhstan. Alma-Ata region, Enbekshikazakh district, 43°39'N, 78°56'E, 17 May 2003, A.Yu.Korolyuk, I.A.Khrustaleva s.n. (NSK0005820!); East Kazakhstan region, Urdzhar district , alt. 660 m, 30 May 2003, A.Yu.Korolyuk 45 (NSK0005868!); Karaganda region , 47°42994'N, 74°81770'E, 13 May 2014, A.L.Ebel s.n. (NSK0008730!); Baidibek district , 25 April 2015, N.N.Lashchinsky s.n. (NSK0008234!) . Uzbekistan. Viloyat Surxondaryo, 15 km W from city Boysun, 38°14'12"N, 67°1'54"E, alt. 1140 m, 7 May 2013, D.Lyskov s.n. (MW0895220!). Afghan. Kabul, 20 km SE, alt. 2000-2400 m, 21 May 1968, Freitag 2641 (KUFS!); Kapisa, Unteres Panjsher Tal gegenueber Korawa, alt. 1700 m, 24 May 1973, O. Anders 9764 (KUFS!); Takhar, Gebirgshange 12 km SE Eshkamesh, alt. 1300-2100 m, 24 May 1970, O. Anders 6751 (KUFS!); Upper Maidan-valley near Takona, alt. 2700 m, 11 June 1968, Freitag 2970 (KUFS!); Loghar, Dobandaytal, alt. 2800 m, 4 May 1970, O. Anders 3356 (KUFS!); Paktya, Saydkhelo Lgad, alt. 1620 m, 12 May 1972, O. Anders 8877 (KUFS!); Nangahar, N Haenge des Safeed Koh bei Baghdara, alt. 1200-1400 m, 23 March 1973, O. Anders 9511 (KUFS!) .